Being Free
by Airo Smicktor
Summary: Shadow has a second chance at life, and a secret inside him will effect the lives of his friends, the past, the future, and the safety of the whole world. This is Re-Birth. This is Project Being Free. This. Is. Shadow.
1. Questions

Disclaimer:

The following story is a piece of fan-fiction that features many of the characters that have featured in the Sonic the Hedgehog computer game series. These characters are property of, and either trademarks or registered trademarks of SEGA CORPORATION, as well as, but not limited to SEGA and SONICTEAM. I do not claim any ownership over these characters or the computer games they are featured in. I, Airo Smicktor, do however claim ownership of this fan-fiction, it's title, the subsequent chapters of it, and the name Airo Smicktor.

Please also be aware that this fan-fiction is no representation of the characters used in it. They are being placed in fictitious circumstances and situations, which would never occur in the actual computer games series, and their actions are only based on my own personal views on what characters would do in these positions. That is why this is called a fan-fiction: It is a made-up story written by a fan of the characters used in it, which is just expressing his enjoyment of the characters used.

By choosing to view this fan-fiction, you agree that you will not remove or edit any part or this entire story and then claim that it is your own work. Such stealing is damaging to the truthful internet fans who love reading original works featuring well-known characters, and is much like stealing someone's writing in real life and publishing it yourself. You also agree that you understand that there is no serious or intentional breach of copyright occurring here. Besides, you are the one who choose to view this, I did not send it to you, so if I am 'breaking the law', so are you my friend! Also by viewing this, you agree that you understand the difference between fact and fiction, and you understand the events that occur here will not occur in the actual computer game or in real life. I cannot be held reasonable if you cannot tell that difference.

* * *

**Being Free**

A Shadow the Hedgehog fan-fiction.

**Written by Airo Smicktor**

Prologue - Questions

* * *

"Freedom - The condition of being free of restraints."

* * *

The pitch black night sky loomed overhead. All that could be seen was the same darkness. The only light was from the stars and the moon.

Or at least, the half of the moon that hadn't been destroyed.

It served as a reminder of the events of ARK. Of the Final Hazard. Of the Eclipse Cannon. Of Maria.

These events plagued Shadow's mind and never seemed to leave. So many questions now filled his mind about those events…

'why did I survive the fall from space? Have I done enough to gain forgiveness for my previous actions? Have I carried out Maria's wish…'

That last question was the one he truly wanted the answer for. The last memories he had of the final battle of ARK were still hazy, but what he could remember was very clear.

The use of Chaos Control with Super Sonic, Sonic grabbing Shadow's arm to save him, the fall, the bright light, asking Maria if it was all over.

But Shadow didn't find the so-called heaven where she would be.

Instead, Shadow felt as if he was sent back into hell:

A world without her.

Shadow lied amongst the thick grass, and looked to the stars above. It had been three days since he'd awoken from the bright light that had separated him from the battle and where he was now. He was unsure how much time had passed, or what the current state of affairs where. He knew nothing.

'Such irony' Shadow thought, 'That I am the Ultimate Life-Form, yet I can still be so weak'.  
Shadow always generalised any 'faults' in himself as weakness, perhaps due to his personality, that made he believe that if he was created to be perfect, he must strive to be perfect.  
'But what did that voice mean in the light? Was it a message? A request?'

There were 2 more items that troubled Shadow: The others that had been on the ARK, and a voice that called to him while he was in the light when he was falling. He was sure it was to him, since the voice called to him by name.  
"Do not fear, Shadow. Be free. We are proud" was all the voice had said, but this had been repeated over and over until it was printed into Shadow's mind.  
Like a tattoo onto the skin, it remained. The difference was, tattoos can be removed, and this could not. Shadow had tried to block out this 'message' but it always returned. Shadow tried to live with it, since it only returned when Shadow thought about his 'new purpose' in life.

Shadow understood he had been created as weapon, but as a companion for Maria as well. He was to stay with Maria for her natural life, which he had done. He had already caused enough damage – the moon was a sign of that. So technically, he had served both of his main purposes. Now what? What happens to a used-up weapon? Is it just discarded? Forgotten about and left to rust away in some cupboard? This surely could not be the fate for the Ultimate Life-Form…

Shadow looked up at the remains of the moon, which (he felt) he had personally destroyed. His thoughts now turned to the others who had been on the ARK. There had been Dr. Eggman, Rouge, that pink female hedgehog who had thought Shadow was Sonic, the red Echidna, the young fox who had two tails, and Sonic. That name also was prominent in Shadow's thoughts, not because he had always referred to him as a 'faker' (which made little sense, since Shadow was created decades before Sonic was even born) but because after the battle, Sonic had tried to save him.

'Why?' Shadow thought, 'After all I had put you through, why did you try to save me?' Shadow looked to his gloves, one of which was missing its golden ring. It slipped off him as he fell out of Sonic's grip, so Shadow assumed that either the 'faker' had it, or it was burned up in the atmosphere.

Shadow never really considered Sonic to be a 'rival' or an 'equal', rather more like an opposite. While they looked the same, and had the same abilities, everything was still different about them. They talked differently, acted differently, but there was one difference that Shadow really noticed. Sonic was free. Free to run anywhere, do what he liked, and live a life to the fullest. Sonic could have chosen not to go after Eggman and save the world over and over, but he did it anyway. Shadow had done it because he HAD to, not selfishly though; he had done for Maria…

Be free. That was what the voice had told him. Be free.  
'Be free? How am I supposed to do that?' he asked himself. 'For so long my life had been orders, can I survive by my own choices?' Shadow pondered this thought, and then stood up.

"Well, if anyone can help me to be free, then it will have to be that Hedgehog." Shadow spoke aloud. This was more of a statement than a fact. But Shadow then frowned. Firstly, he had no idea of where Sonic would be, and secondly, he was unsure himself where he was. A third factor then entered his mind:  
'The government would probably arrest me the moment I stepped into the open. Since I nearly destroyed their planet. They would take me in for experimenting, or try to kill me…' Shadow never forgot the weapon side to him; it was a curse on his soul.  
'How could a weapon possibly live in peace amongst the lives of people? How could people accept me into their lives?' Shadow now felt slightly disheartened by this self-realisation of unwanted ness, yet there was still doubt in his mind; something was making him unsure that this was a fact. Something that urged him to find out on his own, find out the truth, perhaps even find himself. Perhaps even… Be free…

"Hmph, I guess I wont find anything just by standing here all night" Shadow stated, more sure of himself. Shadow got back down in the grass, and curled up slightly on his side. He would need to get all the rest he could get, if he would be setting out on a quest tomorrow. Shadow closed his eyes as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

'Maria… did you call to me? Have I carried out your wish? …Maria…'

* * *

_N.B. Edited 29-11-04 for paragraphing_


	2. Geography

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor.

Chapter 1 - Geography

* * *

"Travel - To go from one place to another, as on a trip; journey"

* * *

Shadow had wasted little time since he had been woken up by the bright sunshine on his face. The dark hedgehog was determined to find a way of ending the voices in his head, and was sure Sonic would be key to gaining that end.

Shadow had raced around the valleys and hills, looking for some sort of town, or sign of civilisation, anything that could tell him where the hell he was, and how he could find Sonic.

But there seemed to be no sign of life anywhere. All he could see where high hills, lakes and rivers, and palm trees. All of which were common to the regular landscape of the world, at least to the knowledge he had gained from Professor Gerald and Maria.

Look at it anyway you liked – Shadow was lost.

"Urgh, this is not the best of starts," Shadow said aloud.  
Shadow stopped on the top of a hill, and scanned for anything, absolutely anything that could help or guide Shadow to some sort off...  
"Huh? What's that?" Shadow has spotted something a good distance off, and it looked like a signpost! Without a second thought, Shadow headed off towards it, and quickly had reached it.  
But to say that Shadow was disappointed with what he'd found was an understatement. "What's this? Sonic??"

On the signpost was a large picture of sonic giving the thumbs-up gesture with the words: 'Sonic has passed through Act 1' on it.  
"Act 1? What does that mean? Has he just come through this area?" Shadow put his hand on the sign, to discover that the sign rotated. Pushing the sign around, he found only the metallic back, which had the words:  
'Continue on to Emerald Hill Act 2'.  
"Act 2? That makes even less sense than before! Damn it! Emerald Hill? Where the heck is that?" The frustration was obvious on Shadow's face. This told him nothing, and meant even less.  
"I might as well see where this track takes me..." Shadow said as he looked up the road that led to 'Act 2'. "I might still find something of use..." and with that said, Shadow headed off into the rest of Emerald Hill.

Shadow had found that the 'Second Act' of the Emerald Hill was rather like an assault course – multi levelled platforms, large hoops to run around in, and the occasional spike trap to catch the unaware. Even more surprising to Shadow was the abundance of Rings in this area.

It reminded him of his race through the jungle to rescue the emeralds from the prison before it exploded. Shadow brought himself to a halt at this thought, remembering Rogue. She was the one who Shadow had saved, along with the Chaos Emeralds, from the time bomb, although Shadow never admitted it. Shadow remember how Rouge had described the rescue as 'so unlike' him.

But what was he? What was Shadow really like? Even he didn't really know the answer to that, but that rescue seemed to be important for some reason. Shadow also thought that maybe even Rouge was important, but why? She was a jewel thief who had secretly worked for the government, and Shadow had since thought of her untrustworthy since finding out her 'double agent' status. But still there was something about her... her part in his life... what was it... they had been allies for a short while...

"That's it! An ally!" Shadow slammed his fist into his other hand in realisation. "Maybe I should be looking for her instead of Sonic. But then..." Shadow now stroked his chin with his right hand, "...then again, by the same reasoning I could look to the good Doctor for advice..." Shadow then laughed out loud at this, now taking in what he was considering. Both Rouge and 'Eggman', as Sonic always referred to him as, were unsuitable for getting advise from, due to their 'dark' nature.

It had to be Sonic. There was something about him, something pure, and something untainted, something... good.

"Strange, ever since ARK, I've been thinking more often now. Was it so long ago that I only thought of Maria?" Shadow held his head high to look skyward. "Maria..." Shadow became lost in thought about her; whenever Shadow looked back on his memories with her, time almost stood still. Almost like Chaos Control, but there was no need for any emeralds. Long ago Shadow spent every waking moment thinking only of Maria, of revenge for her death, of his tormented soul not having protected her. Yet it was not so long ago, only a few days.

Shadow sighed as he slowly came back around to the world around him. He was still looking at the sky. At the blue sky, at the clouds, at the small aircraft, at the flocks of...  
"A small aircraft?" Shadow looked again, and sure enough, there was a small aircraft in the sky above, not too far away either. So almost without hesitation, Shadow raised his hand and called towards it. "Hey! HEY!! UP THERE!! CAN YOU HEAR ME??"

* * *

Up in the air, the pilot was checking his instruments, when he thought he heard someone calling. He looked over the right side of his plane, then the left, and saw what appeared to be a hedgehog like figure waving to him.  
"Huh? What's anyone doing out here?" The pilot began to turn the plane around, and started to descend into its landing gear.

* * *

Back on the ground, Shadow saw the plane begin to come into some distance away. "At last, contact with someone!" Shadow had even surprised himself by calling out without thinking. He had been so apprehensive about contact with others last night, but already he was running up to the landed aeroplane. Shadow stopped a good few feet before the aircraft, as it's propellers slowly winded to a halt, as the pilot jumped out.

The look on the faces of them both told the same story – complete shock, but not so much for Shadow perhaps.

"Why, if it isn't Sonic's little friend!"  
"Shadow?!?? YOU'RE ALIVE???"  
"Hmph, for as long as my ears stay intact from you shouting, then yes, I am very much alive." Shadow's reply was typically Shadow, if that's possible to imagine. "Miles Prower is still the name, correct?"  
"Well, yes" the twin-tailed fox replied, "But most people call me Tails"  
Shadow smirked. "Hmph, but I am not like other people, am I?"  
Tails frowned a little at this, remembering that Shadow wasn't the friendliest of people.  
"...However, I am willing to make some exceptions now, Tails"

Tails expression change was from sadness to almost utter joy; this wasn't the same Shadow that had been around before!  
"Wow! That's... that's great! Where... I mean... how... ... WOW!" Tails was plainly lost for words right now, which slightly surprised Shadow. He smiled again, knowing this could take awhile if he didn't take some kind of lead.  
"You've obviously have a lot of questions to ask me, and since I too have some questions of my own, how about we go somewhere where we can talk more easily?"  
"Um... well... sure! Let's go! We can head to my place! Hop in!" Tails was already halfway into his plane before he'd even finished speaking.  
'This kid has a lot of energy for someone so young' Shadow thought as he climbed into the passenger seat and buckled himself in.

* * *

Within a minute or so, the plane was taking off and airborne, with the destination: Tails' House.

"Oh man, I can't believe your alive Shadow!" Tails was still talking very loudly, probably due to the aircraft noise. "The whole world still thinks your dead!"  
"Dead?" Shadow replied.  
"Yeah! After Sonic told us all that you slipped out of his grip when he tried to save you, everyone's thought that you burned up in the atmosphere when you fell! But you're alive!! It's amazing!! I've gotta call up everyone when we get back, everyone will be pleased to see you!"  
Shadow was taken aback slightly but Tails' last comment. "They... will be pleased... to see me?"  
"Oh sure!" Tails said, turning his around to speak to Shadow, "You're a national hero now!" Tails turned back 'round, unknowingly leaving Shadow very perplexed

"I'm... a hero?" Shadow was almost dumbstruck by this. "I'm a hero... I'm a hero!" A look of jubilation came over Shadow. "I'M A HERO!!!" Shadow shouted, which caused Tails to look around in shock.  
"Are you okay Shadow?"  
"Yes! I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine NOW!"  
"...Okay... You can explain later Shadow..." Tails turned again back to flying his plane.

Shadow was still smiling, as he looked up towards the heavens.

"Maria... You wish has come true..."

* * *

_N.B. Edited on 29-11-04 for paragraphing. This one's for youRaiegki Leviathan_


	3. Preperation

**Being Free**

Seriously, I love SEGA and Sonic Team, so I would never dare to state that they didn't own the characters used in this fan-fiction. Full desclaimer can be found in the Prologue chapter.

Chapter 2 - Preperation

* * *

"Destiny - A predetermined course of events considered as something beyond regular power or control."

* * *

Shadow had been smiling from ear-to-ear ever since Tails had told him of his hero status.

When they had arrived at Tails' house, Tails had shown Shadow a collection of newspapers published ever since ARK, and Shadow hadn't stopped reading through them. Tails was busy calling up the others and Shadow again read the headlines aloud to himself:  
"Hero Shadow Gives Life to Save World..."  
"Shadow: Died a Hero's Death..."  
"The World pays Tribute to heroics of Shadow..."

This was way too much for Shadow to take in at once. He had pulled out a paper from underneath the sofa he'd been sitting on from the day before ARK that referred to him as a 'Villain' and 'Evil', but only a while later, the same newspaper has him as a hero! That solved the question of people forgiving him for his actions, but how would the others react, that would be the real test to see if he could live in this world. Shadow had no friends, no place to stay, he was now a loner, and he knew himself he couldn't survive like that, he needed to change himself.

"Okay Shadow, the guys are heading this way! They're in for a BIG surprise when they see you!" Tails had just gotten off the phone and had come through to where Shadow was.  
"You didn't tell them that I'm not..."  
"What? And spoil the surprise? Where would the fun be in that?" Tails grinned as his trademark tails twirled happily behind him.

"Surprise..." Shadow thought back to when Maria surprised him a long time ago, something called a... birthday party... Shadow remembered that it was one of the most times he and Maria had been happy together, so this surprise should be happy as well. "Miles, how long until they will be here?" Shadow asked.  
"Oh, the train service is pretty fast, so maybe in about half an hour for the guys who live in town. Knuckles was in town, talking to Sonic about the Chaos Emeralds as well, so he'll be coming over, and Amy's bringing a new friend she made after the ARK battle!"  
"How long has it been since the battle on ARK?"  
"Why... it's been about a couple of weeks or so, why?"

"Really?" This shocked shadow; it felt only like a few minutes that he had been in that light after ARK. "Well, I expected it only to be a few days, not weeks..."  
Tails was confused as to why Shadow thought this, the look on his face proved this. Shadow noticed this, as Tails tried to hide his thoughts.  
Shadow smirked a little at this. "Don't worry Miles, I'll explain more fully when the others get here, so everybody knows."  
"Um...okay, sure Shadow." Tails went to do something, but turned back. "Hey Shadow, why do you keep calling me Miles, everybody else..."  
Shadow again smiled. "That's easy to explain: I've always like to call people by their real names and titles. I always called Professor Gerald just Professor, even though most people spoke to him as Gerald, and you always call Doctor Robotnik 'Eggman', when I used to call him Doctor."  
"Oh, right. Do you always speak to people formally?"  
"Well, I guess I was brought up to be polite, sort of like a gentleman. It didn't exactly turn out that way though..."

Tails giggled at this.  
"Huh? What's so funny?" Shadow seemed confused by this laughter.  
"What? You made a funny joke about yourself Shadow!"  
"...Joke?"  
"Yeah! I didn't think you had that in you, but you used that irony well. You know, you sort of used bathos."  
"...Bathos?"  
"You know! The technique of lowering the tone of something for comical effect! People usually use that in writing though. Sorry, but I'll have to get the stuff ready for the guys coming, they can get pretty hungry on the way here, so I always make sure to have snacks ready for them. I don't want them leaving on an empty stomach!"

Tails turned away to the kitchen area, leaving a perplexed Shadow behind him. The truth was, he DIDN'T know. The only other person he had made laugh was Maria, and Shadow wasn't sure what he had done to make her do that. She always called him 'silly' and words to that effect, so Shadow didn't understand why laughing was such a good thing if it was considered 'silly'. Perhaps that was a reason why Shadow had rarely smiled, since to him smiling and laughing seemed very similar, they had they same kind of facial expression. But Shadow did know that to smile and to laugh meant that the person was 'happy' – a feeling Shadow had never truly experienced. Until today.

Shadow felt as if a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders, a burden removed from his heart and soul. A revelation of having such a feeling of happiness inside, such a warm glow from within. Something he had only felt before when he was with her. But he was now without her, yet feeling. He was experiencing emotion, far different than from the pain, heartache and sorrow he had almost drowned in for the past 50 years.

'Is this what it is like to be free?' Shadow thought, 'Is being free and being happy one and the same thing? Could they be related?' Tails had spent the last 25 or so minutes getting things ready for the arrival of the others. Shadow had seen him scurry around as fast as his feet and tails could carry him, and found such a hyperactive child very interesting, yet somehow disturbing at the same time. Shadow had remembered how Tails mood had evolved from shock, to depression, and then to overjoyed in around a minute when he had first met back at Emerald Hill. It seemed that it didn't take much to change this fox's feelings at all. Shadow assumed this was due to young age, Miles looked around 10 years old, but from what he recalled from the Doctor's files, his mental skills were even greater than a normal adult's. It was odd how someone of this IQ could have such sudden mood changes, which was quite incomprehensible to Shadow. There had only ever been 2 mood changes in his life before – when Maria had died, and when Miles had told him he was a hero. 50 years of his life, and only 2 changes. If Shadow was going to live a 'free life', he was going to have to adapt to such changes in himself, perhaps even rapid changes.

"Hey! They're here Shadow! You stay in there while I'll get them, OK?" Tails was calling from a room above, where he had said he'd been keeping watch for their arrival.  
"...Sure, no problem." Was Shadow's only reply.  
"Okay, just make sure you don't touch anything, especially not the camera! I'll be back soon!" Shadow then heard a window open, and what sounded like someone jumping out of the window. Since no sound of someone landing on the ground outside had occurred, Shadow assumed that Miles was flying to meet the others.  
Shadow smirked. "Strangely energetic... very strange..." Shadow then turned and looked straight into the video camera that Miles had set up. Miles had mentioned something about it being 'remote-controlled' and about 'catching the look on their faces'. Shadow guessed that when it started recorded, the fun would begin...

* * *

Not too far way, the group of Tails' friends were making their way to his house, but a little too slow for someone's liking.

"Man, I could be there in a second if I..."  
Sonic's usual speed rant was interrupted by a shove by Knuckles. "You never did listen well did you? Tails said we all had to be there together." Knuckles gave a light chuckle as Sonic looked 'round at him, slightly annoyed that Knuckles had actually proved Sonic wrong for once.  
What didn't help matters was Amy's intervention in the matter. "Come on Knuckles, Sonic always rushes, just wait until he runs to church on our wedding day!" Knuckles could tell by the look on Sonic's what he thought of such a suggestion, and didn't even bother to hold his laughter back.

Which brought him a one-way ticket to Piko-City when he caught a harsh blow to the back of the head by Amy's hammer. "WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT MY MARRAGE TO SONIC?!!??!!" Amy screamed so loud that you could hear it all the way from the Hidden Palace. Sonic slowly was backing away from the situation as Knuckles lay on the ground, clutching his head.  
"Please Amy... please don't be so mean to your friends..." The soft voice of a young rabbit calmed the situation down, as she looked at the still angry Amy.  
"Chao! Chao-chao!" was also the response from a small Chao flying around the rabbit, which was wearing a small bow tie. Amy expression then changed, so that she looked remorseful for her actions.  
"Sorry Cream, sorry Cheese, I guess I just got to caught up in the situation"  
"Well I'm glad someone did..." Knuckles called, getting up but still holding his head.

"HEY! You guys!! How are you??" Tails was calling out to the others as he landed beside them.  
"Yo Tails! Long time no see buddy! What's this 'surprise' about ARK that you wanted to show us?" Sonic greeting was straight to the point, as he always wanted to get things done as quickly as possible.  
"Yeah, come on Tails, this had better be good, I'm missing a lot of time guarding the Master Emerald to be here..."  
"Oh, it's good! It's VERY good!! Come on, I'll show you, it's in my house, this way!" Tails led the way as the group of friends headed off again towards his home. Tails had a huge grin on his face as he took the lead for the short trip back.  
'Oh this is going to be great,' Tails thought, 'I can't WAIT to get the look on Sonic's face when he sees Shadow!'  
"Aww, please tell us Tails, come onnnnn"  
"Sorry Amy, but you'll just have to wait and see, look! We're just at my house now guys!"

* * *

Shadow had barely heard the noise from outside, and had just caught the last few words from Miles. They were here.  
"So begins my new life in this world." Shadow gave one last look at the newspapers before standing up to face the door.

"I guess my destiny awaits me..."

* * *

That's Chapter two for you all! Feedback is always welcome, so send in your reviews and so-on, so I can see how I'm doing. Also, I know that I've changed how I show the dialogue here, so let me know if you find the style I use here easy to use or what. Also feel free to check out my webpage for Being Free, the link to which is in my profile as always! Thank you in advance.

_N.B. Edited 29-11-04 for paragraphing_


	4. Unexpected

**Being Free**

Written, produced, directed, edited and cooked with extra onions  
by Airo Smicktor

Full disclaimer in Prologue, I don't own Sonic, Shadow etc etc.

Chapter 3 - Unexpected

* * *

"Surprise - To cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or amazement, as at something unanticipated."

* * *

"Okay guys, this is it! Are you ready?" Tails asked, with a knowing look on his face.  
"Tails! I've never known you to be this secretive before, what the heck kind of surprise have you got?" Sonic was already intrigued about this change in his best friend.  
"What does it have to do with the ARK anyway?" Knuckles was becoming slightly annoyed since they didn't seem to be getting anywhere with this conversation.  
"Ummm, Amy, what's an ARK?" Asked Cream, she had a puzzled look on her face. Not only had she never been to Tails' house before, but also no one had really explained what had happened on the ARK. No one really liked to, since that was when Shadow had fallen.

"Errr..." Amy was obviously in some problem on how to explain this to the young rabbit (who was even younger than Tails) and her Chao friend without making them feel sad. It couldn't be easy to explain who someone they'd never even met before had died but meant really so much. Tails saw this problem, and quickly stepped in with the solution.  
"It's okay Cream, I think our surprise will be able to answer some of your questions for you."  
"What, you mean it can talk?" Knuckles was now becoming more interested now, there was a certain mystery that appealed to him.  
"Well, we aren't gonna find out by just standing here! Show us what you got Tails!"Sonic said, flashing his trademark grin.  
"OK!" Tails said, while secretly pressing a button on a notice board beside him, which made the camera in the room Shadow was in start recording.

Shadow turned around to see the red light, signalling it was on. Shadow looked into the lens, and smirked.  
"Any bets on who'll say that I'm dead first?" Shadow said to the camera, before moving to the side of the room, so that the camera could get a clear shot on anyone coming through the door, and their reactions The door opened, as Tails stepped through first, seeing the camera, then Shadow, before giving the thumbs-up sign.  
"Okay people, come on through. It's right in here."  
"Huh why would you keep a surprise in here rather than in..." Sonic had stepped through the door, turned, and saw Tails, arm outstretched, with his open hand signalling in the direction of the surprise.

What Sonic saw caused him not only to forget what he was saying, but everything, as he became lost in a mixture of shock, awe and bewilderment. Next came Knuckles, then Amy with Cream and Cheese. Knuckles look was one of fear and shock. Amy was in pure shock. Cream and Cheese seemed just puzzled, since they had no clue about what was going on. The rabbit looked at her pet, then looked back at the dark hedgehog. The only thing they knew was that this hedgehog looked a lot like Sonic...

Tails still had the same grin on his face as he scanned all the faces of his friends. Telling a couple of small lies down the 'phone was all worth it to see their faces. Even Shadow smiled at them, thinking that they had almost been frozen motionless by him, as if they'd seen a ghost. Shadow decided to make the first move to break the silence. He stepped forward, and extended his hand, in a gesture offering to accept a handshake.

"Sonic, it's been a while. I believe I have some apologies to make to you and your friends." Sonic was still in a state of shock, as he slowly moved forward and shook Shadow's hand.  
"Sh... Sh... Shad... Shad..." Sonic, for one of the few times in his life, was completely lost for words.  
"Hmph, yes Sonic. It is I, and I am very much alive. But I am a slightly different Shadow that you will have known before." Shadow looked at Knuckles, who was still had a look of fear on him. "What's the matter Knuckles? You look like you've never seen a hedgehog before."  
"But... But... you, you... DIED... didn't you???"

Shadow turned his head to the camera, and gave a sly wink. "I'm afraid not, oh red one. I am alive, and very well if you'd like to know."  
"Shadow... SHADOW!! That's, that's... this is... this is GREAT!! He's alive! YOU'RE ALIVE SHADOW!! YOU'RE ALIVE!!!" Sonic was now ecstatic! He couldn't believe it; he truly couldn't believe it. Shadow turned to see that Tails was now laughing at his friend.  
"Sonic, I knew how bad you felt after you thought that you didn't save Shadow after you both used Chaos Control, so when I found Shadow, I knew you had to meet him again!"  
"Wait, wait, wait, wait a minute here! You FOUND him???"  
"I think it's better if I explained some things..." Shadow said, as he proceeded to tell the events of what happened after ARK up until this very day.

* * *

"So were you like, in a coma for a week or so, then woke up?" Sonic had been asking all kinds of questions, more that anyone could ever remember him asking anyone. Even Amy was feeling slightly jealous that all of Sonic's attention had turned to Shadow.  
"Well, I'm not quite sure about that as a fact, but I guess it would explain a lot. To tell you the truth, I'm not too sure on how I survived, or what exactly caused all the bright light that I was in. The only thing I'm sure of is that whatever it was, it sent to the Emerald Hill, where I met up with Miles."  
"Yeah! I saw him standing on a hill in Act 2 of Emerald Hill! It was lucky that I decided to have a flight over there, or Shadow would be probably following the route we did all those years ago!" Tails was feeling slightly proud of himself now, he didn't usually fly that far out, but he was very glad he did.  
"Route? What do you mean route?" Before Sonic could even reply to Shadow's question, Amy pushed her way in to answer, sending Sonic falling off the chair he was sitting on.  
"That was the beginning of Sonic's second real mega adventure against Eggman! That was the first time Sonic and Tails teamed up against him!" said Amy; the walking encyclopaedia of everything Sonic has done in his life  
"Well, that explains the signpost with Sonic on it then..."  
"Really? Is it still there?" Tails piped up with a question, as Knuckles looked down on a slightly bruised hedgehog on the floor.  
"Yeah, it was one that could turn around, and it had Sonic giving a thumbs- up pose..."  
"What, like this??" Amy pulled out a picture of Sonic giving the pose Shadow had described.  
"Yeah, exactly like that."  
Amy giggled as she put away the picture. "I thought so, I have a collection of them at home! Sonic looks soooooo cute in them..."

Amy sighed, as she seemed to go off in some sort of daydream. Shadow got up and slowly moved away from this strange pink hedgehog.  
"Excuse me, Mr. Shadow?" Shadow looked down to see the small rabbit and her pet that he had just been introduced to earlier.  
"Yes?"  
"Um... what exactly is the ARK... it's just that I've never heard of it before..." Shadow smiled a little at the quiet voice of the young girl.  
"Well, the Space Colony ARK was the place where I had spent most of my life before, it was a giant space laboratory made by my creator, Professor Gerald Robotnik, where I spent some of my life."  
"Is that where the big fight happened in space?"  
"Why yes, yes it was."  
"But I thought that people couldn't go into space..."

"Don't worry Cream, we used super forms with the Chaos Emeralds to go into space! That way we weren't hurt at all, right Shadow?" Shadow looked at Sonic, who had just gotten up to explain this fact, and nodded his head in agreement.  
"Well, as much as I LOVE to stay and think over the events on ARK, I have a job to do. I'll se you guys around, I'm heading back to the Island."  
"Hey! Come on Knuckles, don't be..."  
"No Sonic let him go." Shadow's interruption caught Sonic by surprise. "He has his own life to lead. I understand." Everyone in the room, even Knuckles, looked at Shadow as if he was a different person. That was something that wouldn't be expected from him.

Knuckles turned to leave, when a thought struck him. "Hey Shadow! You wouldn't happen to have a Chaos Emerald on you now, would you?"  
"No, I don't have any at all. Why do you ask?"  
"It's just that... that bright light you were talking about sounded a lot like Chaos Control, so assumed you would've used an emerald. But I guess it was something else..." and with that, Knuckles left.  
"But if it wasn't Chaos Control, then what was it Shadow?" Amy seemed to be thinking the thoughts of nearly everybody in the room. Shadow thought for a moment, before coming up with his thoughts.  
"... Who said it wasn't Chaos Control?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"  
"Just because I didn't have a Chaos Emerald, doesn't mean that it didn't happen. Like I said, I'm not sure how or why it happened, but..." Shadow took a few steps and looked out the window at the sea view outside. "...But perhaps something happened, something inside me that I didn't know about, it's like... it's like I've been given a second chance at life by someone..." Shadow now looked up to the cloudy sky above him. "...Maria... Is this what you want... me to have a second chance?"

Tails looked at Sonic, who looked at Amy and Cream. It seemed to them that despite how different Shadow was, there were parts of him that remained the same. Sonic motioned that perhaps they should leave him alone to think about things, Shadow turned around.  
"Can I ask you all a question?"  
"Sure thing Shadow! Anything, anything at all" was Sonic's reply.  
"Is it okay if I... If I am..."  
"Huh? If you're what Shadow?"  
"Tell us Mr. Shadow, please tell us."  
"...If I am... your friend... would that be okay?"

Shadow expression had now changed to something completely different than from anything Sonic or the others had seen before. There was now a look of honesty on him, a look of insecurity, a look of innocence, almost like a newborn child's. This was an important moment not just for Shadow, but also for all concerned. Shadow was not sure if they could tell, but their answer to his question could decide if Shadow would be able to live this 'second life'.

Sonic broke the silence. "...Without any doubt in my mind, I speak for everyone when I say:

"Yes Shadow, we will be your friends."

Shadow smiled, a smile of joy, he had been accepted! He was actually liked now by other people!  
"Thank you... thank you all." Was all Shadow could reply. Shadow stood there, looking at his newfound friends, a tear slowly began to form around the bottom of his eye.  
"Hey... Shadow, why are you crying? You don't need to cry man."  
"It's not that, it's just... I've never... felt this way..." Amy and Cream could tell what Shadow was thinking, as they both went over and hugged Shadow, and were quickly joined by Tails and Sonic. The all embraced, in one group hug together, as a bond of friendship was firmly placed in their hearts with Shadow. Shadow's tear slowly rolled down his cheek as it fell to the floor. This was the happiest moment of Shadow's life. He would always remember it, and truly hoped his friends would too. Shadow simply bathed in the warmth of his new found friendship, tears in his eyes and a smile on his face.

* * *

Author notes: Once again, another chapter up for you all! R&R, your feedback is always welcome, and of course, I openly invite you all to check out the pages about Being Free that I have on my website, check out my profile for the link. Darn, talking too much under the story, gotta go put some more up! Keep reading people, soon a plot-like substance will appear!!

_N.B. Edited 30-11-04 for paragraphing and minor edits_


	5. Orders

**Being Free** – Chapter 4

Designed by Airo Smickor

I don't own any characters used here, none! I OWN NOTHING! ...Hang on, what  
am I writing with? 0-0

Chapter 4 - Orders

* * *

"Agenda - Something to be done, especially an item on a program or list."

* * *

"Hello, is this the number forflight information?"  
"Only as far as you are willing to travel."  
"I have an extension number – 362 75G"  
"Please wait a moment while we confirm..."

"... The line is secure, password accepted, we can talk normally now."  
"Gezz, what's up with all these protocols? You can't even walk outside without giving some sort of secret handshake!"  
"Now agent Bat, you know its part of our security system. We can't be too careful, after what happened after the ARK, and since G.U.N. was denounced, we need to watch out own backs now. You never know who could be listening in."  
"Let's get to it, what's the deal? Is Eggman planning another attack already?"  
"Negative. Surveillance reports indicate he's building up more troops at the moment, and from his history in mechanics, it will take a good few months before he's in any shape to try anything new."  
"Then what does the President want now? You know I'm not in a good mood to play games anymore, not since..."

"We've all heard your side, we read your reports. We know how you feel, so now I'll cut to the chase. While the ARK battle was going on, we installed bugs into the telephone lines of the homes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles Prower, Amy Rose, and we've been keeping an eye on the Floating Island. They know about what happened up there, just as much as you do. But since they always seem to come into conflict with Eggman, they should somehow be able to give us information on any tricks he might try, or information about the Chaos Emeralds, or..."

"Let me guess, you don't believe that they'd willingly talk to government agents, am I right?"  
"Affirmative. We weren't expecting anything major for a good while, but earlier, we received this message recorded from Prower's home to the Hedgehog's. Listen to this."

_"Hello? Who is it?"  
"Hey Sonic! It's me Tails!"  
"Hey buddy! How's things?"  
"They're great Sonic! You won't believe what I've just found today!" _

_"Really? Is it a Chaos Emerald? I remember when you found one before, you didn't think the energy would cause your plane to crash again did you?"  
"Sonic... you know I'm more careful now..."  
"Ha-ha! Don't worry man, I'm just kidding! You were telling about what you'd..." _

_"Oh yeah! It's about the... um... I guess you could say that it concerns the Space Colony ARK..."  
"ARK! No way!"  
"Yeah! The ARK! I couldn't believe my eyes either, but..."  
"This I gotta see! I'll be right over man, & I'll try and get Knuckles to come along as well, but you know what he's like..." _

_"Great, I've already talked to Amy, and she says she'll..."  
"Oh man! Don't do this to me! Not HER!"  
"Sonic, you've got to trust me on this, it's very important that only is everyone who was on ARK is here to see this, but that you all see it at the same time. Okay Sonic?"  
"Wow Tails, don't be going all serious on me know buddy!" _

_"Sonic, please!"  
"Okay, okay, I'll do it, but you're gonna owe me big time for making me go along with Amy. Wait... oh man, you don't mean I'll have to go by train with her do you?"  
"It's the best way for you ALL to get here! Don't worry, I heard Amy say that she'll bring Cream and Cheese with her to visit my place, which might calm her down a bit. Besides, I think that when you see my surprise, you'll forgive me for anything that happens!" _

_"Boy, you must really have something about ARK to make you so sure... okay then, I'll get Knuckles, and meet up with the girls. I'll catch you up when I get there, I mean WE get there"  
"That's great! Okay, I'll see you here then! Bye Sonic!"  
"Bye buddy"_

"...That's the whole call, we decided to spare you the details of the call to Rose, she was more interested in meeting up with Sonic than the 'surprise'. Some of the guys at HQ are thinking of sending in a drugs squad to her house, she sounds like she's getting high a lot of the time."  
"Huh, it's only because Sonic is her drug..."  
"Well agent, what do you make of that call."  
"It sure sounds like this is something, that fox was very sure they ALL had to see it at the same time, but he didn't say what it was, it could be files, videotapes, anything!"

"Exactly. That's why you must find out what it is. You are to go to the home of Miles Prower, locate the ARK 'surprise', take photographic evidence, or likewise proof of it, and, if it possible and would not hold up you mission, bring it back for examination to us. You will bring what you have collected to the secret meeting point in Station Square, you do remember it?"  
"How could I forget? I'm not just any ordinary agent!"  
"That's what we're worried about. After you nearly got killed in a bomb explosion, forgot your mission to go grab those damn Chaos Emeralds, and was partly responsible for the blowing-up of the moon, we have been giving serious thought to revoking your agent status."

"What could you possibly mean? I did my job didn't I?"  
"Yes, but at what cost! Sure you brought us all the information from Professor Robotnik's computers, and the information about Project Shadow, but you haven't been the same since, and what's more, you STILL haven't handed over that piece of 'evidence' that you have from..."

"I told you! You can't have it! It's all I have to remind me of him!"  
"That's another problem agent, for years you've carried out our missions with no problems, but along comes one homicidal hedgehog who..."  
"HE'S A HERO DAMN IT! YOU'D ALL BE DEAD IF IT WASN'T FOR HIM!"

"...Okay agent, I know that this is case you feel very close about, and it's only been 2 weeks, but he is dead. You heard from Sonic yourself. You need to let go, and perhaps maybe this wasn't the best case in the world to put you on, but you know more about what happened there than anyone in here. Even the President doesn't know much about it. But we're willing to forget all the 'problems' that happened in your last case if you take this one. Are you in?"  
"..."  
"Agent, I need an answer."  
"...Alright, I'll do it. But depending on what I find, this maybe the last case I ever do for you guys."  
"...Understood. Be careful agent, we need to know what Prower has got ASAP. Over and Out."  
"Roger... Over and Out."

Rouge slammed the phone down, and backhanded it off her desk, so that is slid across it, taking out some papers she had piled up earlier. She didn't care. Barely two weeks after the whole incident, and this is how the government repays her?  
'This is just typical' Rouge thought, 'Typical of them. They don't care about how one person feels, only the good of the whole country. Damn it Rouge! What have you just gotten into? Why can't you just go off and grab another jewel like old times? And why... why can't you forget...'

Rouge felt the golden glove ring she had on a chain around her neck. The only memento she had of him. He, the self-proclaimed Ultimate Life-Form. Not even she really knew why she wore it like this, but somehow she held it as a lucky charm. There was a protecting quality about it. Rouge gripped the ring tight in her hand, closed her eyes and remembered him.

She looked back to when she was first introduced to him; how his look was different from that of anyone else she'd met before. He had a sort of... darkness around him, which made him stand out for the wrong reasons, as sometimes she did. Rouge had remembered how she had radioed Shadow about how she was trapped, not really expecting anything, and how he had appeared and saved her with Chaos Control. How he had denied that he'd saved her, only the emeralds, how he had responded to her sly winks and only slight flirting – she had enjoyed seeing him not know how to react to it, since it was kind of cute. She remembered when only Sonic returned, and handed her his glove band. How it was better than any treasure in the world...

Rouge opened her eyes, looking at what was the last remaining relic of Project Shadow. She sighed. How could this be happening to her? What was wrong with her? She was Rouge, professional treasure hunter, master jewel thief, and part-time spy. How could, after all these years, someone suddenly come along and have such an effect on her? Sure, Knuckles had been somewhat different, but he was caught up in guarding his 'Master Emerald', plus he had one heck of an ego and attitude problem to her liking.

But with Shadow, there was something different.

He never referred to her as 'bat- girl' like so many of the others had done. He'd always been a gentleman around her. Around his quest for revenge against those who'd destroyed his life, he never seemed to forget his manners, a sort of calm amongst the storm. Shadow was just too different to anything that she'd seen before, was it because that he'd been created? Was it because he was a weepon?

The thing that hurt Rouge the most about this whole situation was that she would never truly know about Shadow. He was gone forever, living in the afterlife, probably living with Maria, who he always talked about so much. Rouge looked at the clock, it had been quite late when she'd been called up, Rouge only now really took in how much time she'd spent thinking. In the morning, she'd get up early, and finish this mission quickly.

'The less time spent thinking about ARK, the better.' Rouge reasoned, 'That should keep the man off me for at least a little while... But what is it? What do you have, young Miles Prower, what is it that is so important? Well, I guess you wouldn't know how to use it anyway, so it won't hurt if I take it off your hands' Rouge laughed to herself, thinking that dealing with young Miles wouldn't be a problem, but if Sonic was still there, then that could be a problem. Or even that Echidna. Still, tomorrow will be a new day of discovery. Rouge only hoped what she found would not make her feel worse, or make her find out more about him.

* * *

Author notes: Well, well! The plot, much like the gravy, begins to thicken! You guys know the score by now(or if you are new to this story, hello and welcome!) - give me your feedback and reviews, visit my website, and all the usual stuff! Some of you may have noticed that the 'non fan-fic' parts of my chapters have become a little weird. Don't worry, it's planned. Just makes if more friendly and stuff, you know.

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	6. Dawn

**Being Free**

Written and other such like stuff by Airo Smicktor

I don't own Sonic, Shadow and such like stuff.

Chapter 5 - Dawn

* * *

"Morning - The first or early part of the day, lasting from midnight to noon or from sunrise to noon."

* * *

Shadow awoke up, blinking slightly to become used to the surroundings he had spent the night in. Despite arguing that since he'd spent the past few nights sleeping in open air on grass, so sleeping on a couch wouldn't be a problem, he had been persuaded or some sense or the other to sleep in Miles' room. Shadow eventually agreed to this, since he didn't want to start his new friendships off on a bad start. Shadow got up and moved to the window in the room, and opened the curtains. He gazed out into the glorious view of the ocean, sparkling with the bright sunshine from above. It somehow made Shadow feel... good inside, but he wasn't sure how or why, like many feelings he had recently. That would be for him to discover though.

Shadow made his way downstairs, to the dining area of the house. Before he had even gotten halfway down the stairs, he was caught with the strong aroma of some sort. Shadow stood, as he tried to identify it. It smelled like...

"Hey Shadow! You're awake now huh?" It was Sonic, who was just walking back into the house. "Tails insisted you have a good rest, since you had such a wild day yesterday"  
"You didn't really need to..."  
"Naw, don't think about it man! Breakfast should be ready soon; I was just out on my morning run. I need to work up an appetite!"

Shadow and Sonic both went through to the dining room, where Cream, Cheese and Tails were sitting down at the table.  
"Good Morning Mr. Shadow, did you have a good night?" asked the young rabbit, who's pet Chao was sitting on the table, next to her.  
"Why, it was fine, thank you" Shadow was still not used enough to friendship enough to fully understand what he would have usually regarded as pointless questions, but Shadow assumed that it played a part in it.  
"How was yours?"  
"It was nice, wasn't it Cheese?"  
"Chao chao!" came the reply of the rabbit's pet. The smiles on both of their faces told Shadow, subconsciously, that he was getting the hang of friendship.  
"Hey Tails, where's Amy?" Sonic asked as he and Shadow sat down.  
"Well, who do you think is cooking breakfast right now?"

Sonic took a double take as he thought about what Tails had just said, and looked to Shadow with a look of mixed fear and disgust. By just looking at his face, Shadow could tell that Sonic currently feared for his very life.

"Don't you worry my darling Sonic! I've cooked a special breakfast for our two favourite hedgehogs!"  
"Why do I have to be number one..." Sonic had no problems making his feelings about Amy known.  
"At least you're not a number two." Replied Shadow, which created a small laugh from Sonic.  
"Man, where did that joke come from? I didn't know you had it in you!"  
"Yes, I've been made aware of realise this..."  
"Breakfast is served everyone!"

Sonic's jolly mood suddenly disappeared, when confronted by a worryingly large stack of pancakes with butter on top. Tails and Cream, who along with Amy had normal portions, could hardly see Sonic from the tower of breakfast in front of him. Shadow had a bit more that the others, but way less than Sonic.

"Come on Sonic! Don't you feel hungry? I know you love to make some room by having your early run in the morning!" Amy didn't even notice that Sonic was slowly sinking into his own seat, staring at this mountain of breakfast created by his self-proclaimed girlfriend.

Shadow on the other hand, had eaten very little in the past few days, so had no problems tucking into his portion.  
"See Sonic? Shadow appreciates my cooking!"  
"Umm... Amy... I think the problem is that Sonic can't see..."  
"HUH? What'd ya say Tails?"  
"Ummm... err... I mean..." Tails was in deep now, and sort of wished that he were behind the tower of pancakes.

"I think what Miles means Amy, is that Sonic is... taken aback by your generosity." Shadow was thinking fast here, and the look of accomplishment on Amy's face indicated that Amy had fallen for it.  
"A-HA! I knew you would Sonic! No-one can resist my famous cooking skills!"

Shadow doubted the 'famous' part of her statement, but couldn't deny that he was having on the finest breakfasts he'd ever had. Shadow swallowed down another mouthful, and looked over at Sonic, only to see an empty chair.  
"Excuse me Amy, but did Sonic order a breakfast to go?"  
"No. Why?"  
"Well there's his breakfast," Shadow then pointed to the open door to the outside, "And there he goes..."

"WHAT? No-body leaves the table without finishing their food! GET BACK HERE SONIC!" Amy was already halfway out the door before she had even spoken, leaving behind a rather worried Cream, Tails and Shadow. Cheese, however, was too busy eating into a slice of toast to notice what was going on.

After the three had finished their breakfast, they decided that it was better not to wait around for Amy and Sonic to return. Tails knew from past experience that at the earliest, Amy wouldn't be back by nightfall, Sonic might not return for days. So, to keep them busy, Tails offered to take Cream and Cheese on a tour of the air in his plane; Cream had been a little nervous, since she'd never been on a flight before, but after some reassuring from Shadow, she had accepted. Shadow thought that a look around the area wouldn't hurt either, but he'd take it all in at ground level. Shadow found it slightly awkward agreeing to not stay outside for a long time, since he was still presumed dead. Some people might freak out upon seeing a dead hedgehog running around.

"You promise you'll be extra careful Shadow?"  
"I've told you Miles, I'll be very, very, VERY, careful! Now do YOU promise to take care of Cream and Cheese?"  
"Of course I will! I'm always a responsible pilot!"  
"Have a nice time Mr. Shadow."  
"You too Cream, you as well Cheese."  
"Chao-cha-o!"

Shadow stood back as he watch the plane start up, make it's way up the runway, and then take off into the sky. He watched it for a while longer, before taking out the map Miles had given him, so he didn't get lost. Shadow scanned the places that were nearby: Windy Valley, Red Mountain, and the thick jungle section of the Mystic Ruins were all possibilities, but they didn't seem to have anything to interest him. They were some other areas that were marked out, but they involved travelling through the city to reach them. Shadow was beginning to think that his tour would have to be cut short, when he spotted something on the map. It looked to be somewhere in the middle of a sea, called Ocean Palace, and it looked like a challenge just to reach it, let alone explore it. A challenge, just what Shadow was looking for. Without much of a second thought, he raced off in its direction, leaving behind a cloud of dust as he took off.

* * *

Silently, Rouge approached the home of Miles 'Tails' Prower. His house was not the hardest of places to reach, or in fact find. You practically just had to turn and look after stepping off the train to see it. But that would be too obvious, so Rouge had taken a stealthier, and only slightly longer approach to it. A quick flight up the rock face, followed by an athletic cartwheel and slide, and Rouge was at the side of the house. Carefully, Rouge put an ear to the wall and listened. Nothing. Rouge still took no chances as she edged along the house wall, until she came to a window. Taking out a small make-up mirror out her pocket, she held it below the windowsill as a custom periscope to view inside. It was empty, aside from a rather large stack of pancakes on a plate. It was midday now, so there must have been some rush out. Perhaps they had moved the ARK item out quickly? 

Rouge opened the door slightly, throwing caution to the wind as she stepped into a sort of sitting room area. Quickly she scanned the room for any signs of the item or what the item might be. Some arranged seats in sort of circle, which showed signs of a discussion, an assortment of newspapers, all concerning the ARK incident, and a video camera.  
'First they leave the house unlocked, and then they leave an expensive piece of equipment out in the open for any two-bit thief to take? You've got a lot to learn young fox...' Rouge thought as she moved towards the camera, and examined it. She pushed open the eject button, and pulled out the videotape. It had a hand-written label on it: 'The Surprise!'

Rouge couldn't believe her luck!  
"You actually filmed it? I wish every mission were this easy to finish off! But don't you worry kid, I only want a copy for my spy friends... and myself..."

* * *

Shadow had made it through to the Ocean Palace. It hadn't taken as long as he expected, even though he had to get there via Seaside Hill, but it was deserted except for a few hermit crabs. Shadow was impressed by what he saw, for as it's name suggested, it was a large palace built on the sea. It was vast, and looked to be filled with passages and other secrets. He'd wasted little time in setting off to discover more about this place, and already reasoned he had been about halfway through it...

* * *

The copying of the videotape was quick and easy, Rouge had quickly flown to her place and back again without any fuss at all. She even took the time to place the original tape back in the recorder.  
"Now that's over with, let's go and see what surprise you have in store!" She said, holding up her copy of the tape. Without a doubt in her mind, she wouldn't need the latest Hollywood blockbuster to be in for an interesting night's viewing...

* * *

It was all too easy. Shadow had expected slightly more of a challenge that what he had received. Only the occasional crumbling pillar had posed any real threat to him, but he was, of course, far too fast to be caught out by it. It had proved to test his skills very little, and was much like the 'assault course' he had run at Emerald Hill. Even now, he could tell that he was near the central temple already, and it wouldn't take long at all to reach it. He looked up from the small patch of grass he was standing on, and saw that to continue, he would have to use a spring to jump up to the path. It looked simple enough... almost too simple... For an ancient temple, he had had a very eventless journey. Shadow could smell a trap; he could sense it in the air. These pillars and stones were hiding something, and Shadow was sure he'd find out at the last minute. 

Shadow jumped onto the spring and was instantly catapulted up high into the air. Shadow looked below and saw he was heading down to the path he was aiming for, but he also saw a strange looking rock. It had ancient markings on it, as well as some strange form of blades on them. Shadow landed down on the path, looked behind him, and saw the rock begin to shudder. Shadow instantly ran forwards, as the huge rock began to fall off the platform it was on, and roll down the slope towards Shadow.

He was deep in Trap City, and was about to become its first and last citizen if he didn't keep running. Shadow followed the pathway around its curves and slopes, hearing the heavy roaring of the stone as it chased on with increasing speed. Shadow could easily outrun it right now, but not forever. That soon didn't matter, as Shadow saw a sudden break in the path in front. Thinking quickly, he leaped forward. The speed he had collected while escaping from the rock was just enough for him to safely land on the pathway beyond, as he continued onwards, breathing a small sigh of relief that the worst was over.

"Hmph, these people must have been VERY old to have thought such traps could..."

But Shadow's self-congratulations were cut short by the arrival of a different rock coming off its platform and giving chase.  
"Perhaps I've underestimated these ruins a little." Shadow still continued at speed from the first chase, so already was ahead of this rock, and was continuing to follow the winding, and now getting wider pathway.  
'What, wider? Does this mean...' Shadows own thoughts were answered by not only seeing the arrival of the original stone out of the corner of his eye, but a THIRD stone from the other side! Now Shadow had three problems to deal with now.

"Things just got a little more interesting!" Shadow said to himself, as he picked up the pace to beat an escape out of the once friendly temples. It seemed though that the path went on forever, and the stone were constantly picking up momentum. Shadow sensed this, and wasn't going to let some inanimate object defeat him! Looking ahead, he could see the main temple that he was aiming for, and to get there, he'd have to jump an even larger gap than he had before, across an area of water. Failing now was not an option, as the alternatives were being flattened, or drowning. Shadow had little experience of water; he'd always usually been in the labs or in Space Colony ARK. The chances of success were slim, very slim. But Shadow had the one advantage he knew would make him pass – he was the Ultimate Life-Form.

Shadow pushed himself to his very limits, forced his heart to pump even more, sent more rushes of energy pulsing through his body, forcing him to push himself harder, faster, stronger. He wasn't going to let his second life end this soon, and not this way. The stones chased, the hedgehog ran, and the ground began to cut away in the distance. With one more sudden push of energy, Shadow surged forward once more, this time screaming out loud in a cry of absolute power, as he took the giant leap.

He leapt high and long over the calm water, focusing only on the temple edge in front of him. His only thoughts were of survival, not of safety. As the large rocks fell off the path behind him, and crashed into the water, Shadow outstretched his arms, hands, and fingers, as he began to fall. He saw the edge of the temple floor way just below, and made that his target. Just as it looked like Shadow was going to fall into the sea, his hands grasped the hard edge, and Shadow was left holding onto it, his feet only dangling some feet above the water. Shadow took a short while to catch some breath back, only to feel some slight droplets of water from the splashes that the rocks had created. Shadow turned his head slightly to look back at the gap he had just leapt, and then smiled as he pulled himself up.

Without a doubt, that was one of the most foolhardy things Shadow had ever attempted, let alone passed. Yet Shadow was pleased in this, glad of this act of almost utter stupidity in the search for thrills. Maybe because, this is not what the 'Old Shadow' would do. The 'New Shadow' however, would easily do it all over again. Shadow gave one last look at the gap, before turning around to look at the temple he had escaped death to reach. It was worth it to see the high pillars, the wall carvings, and the great masses of architecture around him. Such beauty could easily make him forget the troubles he had just survived. He walked up the flight of steps to see the rest of the temple, only now becoming aware of the energy he'd used up. Perhaps it would be a while before Shadow decided to...

What Shadow saw at the top of the steps made him stand still, and stare. There, lying on top of a small stone platform on the ground was a Chaos Emerald.  
"Well I never... I guess this was worth it after all." With that said, Shadow walked forward, and picked up the Emerald. Now Shadow would have no problems getting back to Miles' house quickly, with the use of Chaos Control. So saying, Shadow held it in his hand, closed his eyes, and began to summon the power inside him...

"Chaos... Contr... huh?" Shadow opened his eyes to see what looked like a small ball of light floating in front of him. It appeared to drip some sort of... excess energy as it floated, Shadow had never seen anything like it. Then it began to start moving around Shadow's head. Shadow followed it's path around, puzzled by such a strange phenomena as it circled around him. What was it? What did it want? Why is it out here...? Yet before Shadow could ask any more questions to himself, a bright white light, a light that seemed very familiar, suddenly smothered him...

* * *

Author's notes: There's another chapter for you all! R&R please, as well as all the usual stuff. Watch out though, as there may be a few sub-plots running along-side Shadow's story, but it's all relevent, believe me. It may not seem like it, but it all makes sence eventually... Man, I LOVE being ambiguous!

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	7. Trouble

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smickor

I don't own Sonic etc; you know that anyway, you're all here for the fan-  
fic!

Chapter 6 - Trouble

* * *

"Chaos - A condition or place of great disorder or confusion."

* * *

Rouge was all to pleased with herself. She'd completed a mission, which she'd ironically almost never accepted, in less than an afternoon! That was hardly enough time to file a report, or to break into a jewel collector's safe... Rouge opened the door into her current apartment she was staying in, only to find two Government agents waiting for her.

"Hey! Is that anyway to wait on a lady? You could've at least waited outside!"  
"Firstly, this is government-paid accommodation your staying in, so until you receive the all clear from our boys that you haven't stolen anything more from our labs and hidden it you home, you stay here, and we can come and go as we please. Secondly, aren't you on a mission 'Lady Rouge'?"

"Hah! Finished it!"  
"You're kidding!" The second, slightly younger agent now piped in.  
"Well, when you're a complete professional like myself, these things are like a walk in the park, kid! Here's your evidence..." Rouge said, tossing the copy of the videotape to the first agent.  
"...Well, let's see what we've got here then..." he half-heartedly replied, obviously expecting something more than this in evidence. He went up to the television set in the room, and put the tape into the VCR before hitting rewind. It was already at the beginning, which raised a small giggle out of the bat.

"Have the secret service doubted my abilities that much?" The agent decided not to credit her question with a response, as he picked up the VCR and TV remotes, switching the set on it the process and selecting the VCR channel.  
"Well, let's see what part of the ARK puzzle we missed then..." the agent said, as he hit the Play button.

The screen went from the blue that appeared after nothing is selected, to tracking static, then to the scene of the living room of Tails' house, where a black hedgehog had his back to the camera. The hedgehog turned around and looked into the camera, and smirked before saying: "Any bets on who'll say that I'm dead first?" before he moved to the other side of the room.

"THAT'S HIM! THAT SHADOW! THE ULTIMATE LIFE-FORM!"  
"GOD DAMN! YOU'RE RIGHT MAN! GET HEAD OFFICE ON THE 'PHONE, THIS STUFF IS DYNAMITE!" The two agents were quickly on their cell-phones in contact with their superiors.

Rouge had paused the video and was close to the screen, looking at the sly grin on the face of the dark hedgehog that had been so permanent in her dreams and thoughts. He was alive, alive and well, and close. She put a hand to the screen, almost as if to touch him through the set, before focusing in on his gloves. Sure enough, one was missing a golden glove band – the very band she wore on a chain around her neck. It was he, it was truly he.

* * *

The light that had overcome Shadow had be so bright that he had to close his eyes, yet was almost blinding, as he could still see it through his eyelids.  
'What is happening to me? Is it because of the Chaos Emerald that I picked up'. Slowly though, Shadow began to notice the light fade away, and he was only left with the darkness of his closed eyes. Carefully, he opened one eye to see if everything was fine, only to open his eyes wide in shock. The Ocean Palace was gone, and he was left looking at a large altar across a small bridge in front of himself.  
"Where... where am I?" Shadow was left asking himself, as he looked straight ahead at the altar-like temple in front. Cautiously, he began to move forwards across the bridge, along the sand path beneath him. He was only a few meters away, when he noticed what appeared to be a large group of Chao.

He was now close enough to hear what could distinctively be heard as the sounds of Chao singing. Shadow could not understand what they were singing, or what kind of song, but it was having a calming effect upon him, a soothing effect. Shadow just stood, listening to their song, for a what didn't seem to be a long time at all, but could very well have been a long time.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" came a voice from behind him. Shadow turned around to see an Echidna girl speaking. "The song, it's beautiful, isn't it?"  
"Why yes, it is..." was Shadow's reply to her question. This was not making anymore sense than before, rather the opposite. It didn't help that this girl then giggled at Shadow's confusion.  
"Don't worry Shadow, there's nothing to worry about here. We're all friends here."  
"Wha... how did you know my..."

"Oh, Maria told me all about you Shadow. My name is Tikal, it's nice to meet you." Was her reply, as he extended her hand, which Shadow eventually took.  
"Maria?"  
"Of course, we've all met her, haven't we?" Tikal directed her question to the Chao, who now ran up happily to Shadow. Some hugged Shadow's feet and legs, while others flew up to his arms and body to hug him. Tikal again giggled, as Shadow blushed slightly as this sign of affection from creatures that he knew little about.  
"It's not really surprising that they like you so much Shadow, Maria's become such a good friend to us all that they all know everything about you. You're like an kind uncle to them!"

Shadow was still caught in the mass Chao hug that he was receiving, but was still trying to think through the words that this stranger had told her. Maria? A friend? That couldn't be possible!  
"Oh! You've got one of the emeralds! Did you collect it from the Ocean Palace?"  
"...Yes... Yes! I did..."  
"Of course, Maria knew you wouldn't resist the adventure of a hard to reach palace."  
"Maria... knew... but how... why... where am... I don't understand..."

"Chao?"  
"Chao-chao?" The Chao around Shadow could sense his confusion, and all looked up at him.  
"Oh my! Of course, how silly, you don't remember anything, do you? Don't worry; it will start making more sense Shadow as you carry on with your new life! We'll all be watching you Shadow, so good luck!"

Tikal's wish of luck was accompanied by the excited shouts of the Chao around him, and the return of the bright light around him.  
"Hey! Wait! You haven't answered any of my..."

* * *

"...Yes sir, we've got the proof right here! He's very alive, and he is in contact with Prower, Rose, the Hedgehog, the Echidna, and also a young female rabbit called Cream. Yes, that's all. We've got the tape secure here sir, yes... Agent Rouge even confirmed it as well... yes... yes... We'll be right over sir, yes sir! Over and Out!"

The agent closed his cell-phone.  
"Okay, we're taking it from here now Rouge. Get the tape rookie."  
"Yes sir!" Was the younger agent's reply, now very excited to have been put on such an important case, as he ejected the tape from the machine, and placed in the suitcase of his superior. Both the agents then headed out of the apartment, but the older agent looked over at Rouge, who was staring at the gold ring band she held in her hand.  
"Like I said, it's all for the Higher-ups to decide now agent. You've done above and beyond in this one, I'll make sure you're not forgotten." And with that, he was gone.

But being forgotten was one of the worst fears she had at the moment. What if he didn't remember, or had forgotten her on purpose? Why did he go to those guys rather than her, a former partner? And what if they had turned him against her? Could she ever repair any damage done?

* * *

Shadow opened his eyes again. He now found himself at the bottom of the flight of steps that led up to Miles' house. Quickly he dashed up them, and into the house, slightly startling Cream, Cheese, Tails and Amy.

"Hey Shadow, what's wrong? Is someone following you?" Amy asked  
"No! No, it's okay, but something really weird just happened to me!" Shadow answered.  
"Mr. Shadow, what's that pretty stone in your hand?" Cream innocently asked  
"That's no stone Cream! That's a Chaos Emerald!" Amy exclaimed, pointing at the stone.

"You're right Amy, wow!" Tails said"Where'd you find it Shadow?"  
"I found it in the Ocean Palace, Miles, it was right in..."  
"The Ocean Palace! No one's ever ventured into that place before! Is that why you took so long to get back?"

Shadow looked at the clock, it was now mid evening. How long had he been in that strange area with that Echidna girl? "No! That wasn't it..." Shadow said, answering Tails' question"It was because..."  
"Guys! Hit the TV! Any channel! QUICK!" Sonic burst into the room, startling everyone, but it was Shadow who quickly flicked the TV on.

"Once again ladies and gentlemen, we must stress that this footage is not faked, and has been tested to be real – you are actually seeing footage of the Ultimate Life-Form, Project Shadow, Shadow the Hedgehog, who we all believed had lost his life saving the world, that proves that he is ALIVE, and has been with the other famed hero of the world, Sonic the Hedgehog. You can see that Sonic here was, and may still be as shocked as we all are that Shadow is alive! This may be one of the greatest moments ever recorded, certainly in this reporter's..."

Tails was up in a flash, as he opened up the video camera, and he pulled out the videotape.  
"No way! The tape's still here!"  
"Someone must have copied it and put it back." Came Shadow's reasoning.  
"How many times have I told you to put locks in this place Tails? Do you see why?" Sonic said, motioningto the room around him.  
"But Sonic... nobody ever comes up here except you guys..." Tails said, hisnamesakes slumped sadly on the floor.

"But someone did Tails, and now everyone knows Shadow's alive" Amy said, with a scalding tone in her voice  
"Mr. Tails only wanted to keep this memory forever Amy..." came the soft voice of Cream.  
"The problem is, now everybody knows your back Shadow. The government, the media... Heck! I bet even..." Sonic voice trailed off, as realisation hit him hard. "...Eggman..."

* * *

Manic laughter roared through the metal hallways in an underground base, as the self-proclaimed evil genius known to his enemies as Dr. Eggman watched the latest news report.

"So! You survived, did you Shadow? HA! Just when I thought things couldn't get much more interesting..." Eggman looked down at the papers he had been looking over before the report came in. They were various notes and files concerning Project Shadow and the other experiments his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, had been doing before his death. He smiled his classic evil grin.  
"Congratulations, Grandfather! YourRe-Birth technique is a success!" He looked over to a large painting of his grandfather, sitting with Maria, his granddaughter. "Soon, I will be able to control life, death, and even the creation of a living creature! And it's all thanks to you Gerald! It's all thanks to you, that I will discover what the final mystery of Project Shadow is... I will finally understand..."

* * *

_With death must come birth, and a new purpose in life? To protect from those who would do harm, to discover new ways to improve and safe guard, or to offer to people a second chance at life, a clean slate, to live in a world where they cannot remember any wrong doings, any memories that might plague their minds. To be pure, to be untainted, to be free. I have seen the worry on his face, and I know only realise what a curse I have placed upon my own creation. For by giving the gift of erasing the aging process, I have neglected to consider the effects of that. He will witness much heartache, much sorrow, much pain and anguish. And I know myself that the death of one person shall be too much for him to take. _

That is why I have created a new project, one that I know the government, more precisely GUN, will not be pleased with. But I no longer care about them; they only want what shall benefit their wars and plans. No, as Project Shadow was created unselfishly as a companion for Maria, this new project will be a final reward for Project Shadow's duty, of being with Maria until her natural death. By erasing his memories, I hope, beyond all that I had hoped for in my life before, that Project Shadow will be able to live a life outside these cold laboratory walls, away from these experiments and test tubes that my life has become, that took my away from my only granddaughter. Maria has understood what Shadow is, and that is why I cannot take full credit for this idea. It was Maria who suggested that Shadow be able to live again and again, to protect others as he would protect her. This is why my, no, our new project, which we have decided to code-name 'Re-Birth', shall be his final reward, the reward of a second chance at life, something many of us desire, but can never have. This shall be perhaps my greatest achievement ever, yet one which must never be revealed. This is the secret of Project Shadow, which Maria has fittingly given the code-name to:

_Being Free _

* * *

Author notes: Long term fans of Being Free (if they exist)may have noticed that I have changed the summary for Being Free, as well as the rating. This is due to what I'd like to call 'a slight increase in the amount of strong language, accomponied by some scenes that have a noticable increase in emotions and violence in them.' Basically things get 'heavy' in future chapters, but it's nothing really drastic... yet. What I mean is this won't go into a R rated thing, okay? Anyway, leave your reviews as always, your feedback is what makes me stop being lazy and get to work on further stuff. 

I.E. - the more reviews I get, the more chapters you get to read! It's simple no? So what ya waiting for? GET REVIEWING OR I WILL EAT YOUR SOULLLLL! Or just get annoyed, either or 0o

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	8. Confusion

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

Me no own Sonic or Shadow, okay?

Chapter 7 - Confusion

* * *

"Turmoil -A violent disturbance"

* * *

Midnight. The silence was eerie, and almost unexplainable feeling. There were no cars in the streets, no people on the sidewalks, nothing. For perhaps one of the first times ever in the history of the world, people everywhere were lost in thought. And, what perhaps was even stranger, there were all thinking about the same subject – Shadow. The same Shadow that had tried so hard to destroy the world yet had changed at the last moment and given his life away so that others could live. But he had survived the fall from space? These were the questions on everyone's mind. All... except for one. One lone figure stood in a dark alleyway in Station Square. He was waiting for the sunlight, for then would come the chance he'd been waiting for, the opportunity of a lifetime, to put his mark down in history as one of the greatest ever.

"Tomorrow, when that sun comes up, everyone'll go running to the shadows..."

* * *

The Doctor woke early; for he knew today would be a day of action. If he were to lure Shadow back onto his side, he would have to convince him not to trust Sonic. This would be a challenge, he was not an idiot like Knuckles was. He would have to be convinced that Sonic would only destroy him, or find some other way... But that wasn't the only problem that was on Eggman's mind at that moment, something else was...

"Shadow seemed to remember everything about Sonic, Tails, the others... If Re-Birth was successful, then Shadow should have remembered nothing! Gerald, have you finally let me down? Oh yes, Re-Birth seems to have been successful, only without the amnesia you said could occur..."

Eggman cursed his luck. If only Shadow had lost his memory, then he could have made him into his willing slave to destroy Sonic. Eggman had been so sure; Gerald's entire collection of notes and documents indicated that all these effects would occur during the Re-Birth...  
"Wait! There was something else... Another indication that the effect had worked... what was it?" Eggman picked up a large, black book, and quickly flicked through the pages. "... No... no, no, not here... AH-HA! Here it is: Signs of Re-Birth success:"

_'After numerous failed experiments, I had almost given up hope on Re- Birth at all. I had already created life, and I had already found a way to prevent the aging process (i.e. Project Shadow only maturing in mind, not body). But the one thing that I want now is to prevent Shadow from being cast into a pit of despair. This whole Being Free project is not for me, but for...'_

"GAH! Didn't anyone tell my grandfather that people could put their life- story into a diary! Where's the actual part about the... Here it is! Now let's see:"

_'After a successful Re-Birth, the subject will be exposed to a complete loss of memory. By complete, I mean a loss of information such as name, identity, friends and family, locations, etc. What should remain is a basic knowledge of movement, agility (i.e. all necessary life skills that they have learnt). The subject will be able to understand that they have and can use those skills, but may not be able to apply them all instantly, this effect should wear off after a few hours/days. This of course could be dangerous, if another tells the subject the wrong information about their true self, but the person will have to make their own judgement in this situation. I have no intention of preventing this effect, as it will be the final reward for Shadow – the chance to live a second life._

'There is, however, a noticeable side effect of Re-Birth. Although it is less of an importance right now, it must be stated: The subject will occur an overall, although temporary, change of colour. This will include skin colour, hair/fur colour, eye colour, etc. This temporary colour change I intend to keep in until the near future because: A) It is only temporary – the effects disappear in around 2 days at the latest, then the subject will return to their natural skin colours; and B) It shows that the Re-Birth has been successful. Of course, as any scientist will know, a colour change is one of the easiest signs to recognise as the sign of a successful experiment.'

"THAT'S IT! If it worked, then Shadow must have changed colour! If it's been a few days, it explains why he looks normal. I must find out if he's been hiding this from me, but how... Hmm... I'll need some kind of bait... but Shadow didn't care about anyone except Maria..."

Eggman was now feeling annoyed. He wasn't going to let one minor detail get in the way of another master plan.  
"...Unless... perhaps I can find someone that he did care for, even just a tiny bit for, and use that to my advantage... Maybe... YES! I know just the person, and I think I know WHY she'll agree to it as well!" Eggman smiled, as he walked over to a large machine with seven chambers in it, opened one, and pulled out a shining red Chaos Emerald.  
"She'll come to me, and he'll come for her! Once again, even the great Doctor Robotnik impresses himself!"

* * *

Mid-day. The Mystic Ruins had never seen so much activity in a very long time, but everywhere, there were camera crews, news reporters, even the army had set up a barrier to prevent people getting near Tails' house. Tails could only peak out behind the curtains at wonder at the sight of all these people.

"This is crazy! Look at all those film crews!" Tails called over his shoulder  
"I told you guys, it's me they want to speak to, I can still get you guys out of here with Chaos Control like I did with Cream and Cheese..."  
"No way Shadow!" Sonic replied insantly."We're all staying put. Cream had to go back home, since her mother wasn't keen about her coming over her in the first place, but we're right with you. Besides, you haven't done anything wrong anyway!"  
"I guess your right Sonic, but it's just those army trucks out there, what if the government want to take me and..."  
"No way! They can't do that, and I won't let them!" Amy said, pulling out her Piko-Piko Hammer  
"Amy! Calm down will ya?" Shadow said, grabbing her hammer"We don't know what they want, but this isn't going to be easy, that's for sure! Hey, you okay Shadow?"

Shadow himself was lost in thought over what had happened yesterday? Who was that echidna girl? What did she mean about knowing Maria? Did he visit some kind of afterlife? Was that related to the Chaos Emeralds? It just made no sense at all...  
"It just about... yesterday... with the light..."  
"What exactly happened?" Tails asked, turning away from the curtain.  
"Well..." Shadow began explaining."I picked up the emerald, and then this strange floating ball appeared, floated around me, then there was all this white light, and then I was at this strange temple. There were all these Chao around, and..."

"WHOA! You mean you went to Tikal's place?" Sonic exclaimed.  
"Wait... Yes! That was the name of that echidna girl!" Shadow replied thoughtfully.  
"I remember Sonic!" Tails added."She was the one who kept transporting us during the Chaos incident! What did she talk to you about?"  
"She mentioned something about speaking to Maria, and knowing all about me, and then all these Chao hugged me, and she wished me luck in my new life, then I came back here. It didn't make any sense!"

"Yeah, that seems to be Tikal's style – very cryptic, sort of like a puzzle. I think it's because she knows so much, she thinks we'll understand right..." Sonic sighed  
"Wait, she mentioned something about... me understanding as I lead my new life..." Shadow said, frowning  
"This could be important, the last time any of us saw Tikal, she was trying to tell us about Chaos, and he ended up destroying Station Square!" Sonic said  
"You mean... it was like... a warning?"  
"Maybe not. Tikal told me all about the legend of the Chaos Emeralds..." Tails pointed out.  
"Yeah, I think Tails here kind of liked Tikal..."

"HUH? WHA?" This caught Tails very off guard; he himself had been almost totally put of the idea of 'love' since seeing the effects it's had on Amy over Sonic...  
"Awww! Is little Tails growing up?" Amy was smiling at the now very red- faced fox. Shadow was still standing, looking very confused at the whole situation.  
"Don't worry Tails, she only looks about the same age as you!" Sonic said, smirking."I think she's about a thousand or so years older than you anyway."  
"Hmph, so what's so bad about looking young for your age then?" Shadow questioned, raising an eyebrow at Sonic.  
Sonic smirked back. "Ah! Touché my friend!"  
"Ah, guys, sorry to bring you back to reality, but I think something's going on... There's some kind of argument with... Oh no..."  
"Huh? What is it Miles?" "Rouge is here... and so is Knuckles..."

* * *

"HEY! I have just as much right to be here as you, bat-girl! You think that just 'cuz you've got all those spies on your side, you can just fly in and..."  
"You know DAMN WELL that it's NOT about me being an agent! You can't get over the fact that I tried to take you oversized gemstone once, can you?"  
"WHAT? YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE MASTER..."

* * *

Back in Station Square, people had gathered in crowds around TV shops, and looking up at giant billboard screens to watch this argument between the red echidna and the bat.  
"Are they in love or something?"  
"Maybe it's one of these new reality TV shows or something."  
"Hey, the red guy's Knuckles! He's lives on that floating island, doesn't he?"  
"I thought they were gonna show Shadow, where is he?"

It was hardly surprising that while everyone's attention was directed to the TV sets, that no one noticed a lone figure open a back door into the Central Reserve Bank, and quickly make their way to the main security vault. A few short presses of the buttons on the security keypad were all it took for the vault door to slowly open mechanically, and the entire laser, pressure pads and cameras to be switched off.

He stepped inside, pulled out a laser pistol from his side belt, and began shooting open deposit boxes. Round after round was fire accurately around him, as he slowly walked down the vault. Precious stones, money jewellery, treasures, all of the wealthiest people in the world stored their money here, so they could probably do without one less solid gold soupspoon.

"Heh, too darn easy these days. Folks just keep leavin' their vaults unprotected, even a pickpocket could... Well... Well I'll be damned! You never know what some moron is gonna leave lying around here for me..." There, sitting, encased in a small glass box at the very back of the vault, sat a shining, glowing gem. The blue Chaos Emerald. Smiling, he walked up to the case, smashed the glass with the edge of his gun and picked up the emerald.  
"It's been far too long since I've held one of you..."

* * *

Dr. Eggman was already heading towards the Mystic Ruins. It was so easy having his Eggpods on autopilot. It allowed him to watch the newest comedy show on TV: the Knuckles and Rouge Show. Well, he had to watch something now that Friends was over!

"Heh, excellent, not only is she there, but she must have been the one who got the footage of Shadow! Now it'll be too easy to turn Shadow against them... OUCH! Oh no, no-no! You shouldn't have made that remark Knuckles! You're going to be guarding the Master Emerald in a note higher now..."

* * *

"...Can't... feel... groin... lost... ability... to... have children..."  
"I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO FEEL! LET ME GO! I'LL KILL HIM!"

About 6 agents and army personnel were struggling to keep Rouge from completely tearing Knuckles apart, as Sonic, Tails and Shadow ran out after Amy, who was now just as enraged as Rouge was.

"AMY! HE DIDN'T MEAN IT!" "THE HELL HE DIDN'T! YOU NEVER COMMENT OF SOMEONE'S TASTE IN SHOES LIKE THAT!"  
"Ummm... Miles, I thought Knuckles said..."  
"SHHH!" Sonic quickly silenced the dark hedgehog."I know what he really meant, but Amy doesn't know that! Shadow, if you're gonna live with us, know this: Never, EVER, talk about what women SHOULD wear!"

By the time they'd reached Knuckles, he was still down, while Sonic was desperately trying to restrain Amy. Shadow saw the situation, and knew there was only one solution: time to take the focus off him, at Sonic's expense.  
"WHY SONIC! I DIDN'T KNOW YOU CARED ABOUT AMY SO MUCH! BUT THAT'S SUCH A WEIRD HUG THAT YOU'RE GIVING TO HER!" Sonic froze. Almost instantly Amy grabbed onto him in a Deadly Amy Hug Of 'Love', completely unrelease-able and unstoppable.  
"Iknewyoureallylovedmedidn'tyouSonicThat'ssosweetofyoutothinkofprotectingme  
Andtothinkthatyoualwaysgoonabouthowyoudon'tlovemeAndsoonIjustknewinmyheartyou'dfinallyadmityourfeelingstome!SonicijustloveyousomuchandIknowthatwe'llbetogetherforeverandeverandeverandever!"

"FOR THE LOVE OF CHAOS GET HER OFF OF ME BEFORE I SUFFOCATE!"

Shadow and Tails meanwhile were laughing their heads off at seeing Sonic stuck like this, as the men who had held Rouge back now went over to Sonic and Amy to save the blue (but rapidly turning purple) hedgehog. Knuckles could very well be unconscious right now; no one was paying very much attention. Rouge though, was now walking over to the laughing fox and dark hedgehog.

"...Shadow?"  
"HAHAHAHA! Oh, hey Rouge! Long time no see? You still going after jewels?"  
"Umm...not exactly, but I kind of need to...talk to you Shadow"  
Tails, who had up to this point saw Rouge's expression at this point, and he changed his as well. "Oh, right. I'll leave you guys alone then..."

"Huh? What do you mean Miles?"  
"I think I'd better explain Shadow. You see, there's something important that I need to tell you, and I'm not quite sure how to really say it, so I won't cover it up anymore."  
"Okay... what is it?"  
"Well... it's kind of like... I guess... Shadow... I..."  
"YOU'LL DO NOTHING OF THE SORT, BAT-GIRL! OH-HOHOHOHOHO!"

Everyone turned around and looked up, to see the familiar Eggpod from which the abominable laughter came from, the laugh that belonged to only one man.  
"Eggman!" Tails shouted, pointing up at the Doctor  
"Foolish fox! I am the great Doctor Ivo Robotnik! Soon to be ruler of this world!"  
"You just don't give up do you Eggman?" Amy said, pulling out her hammer.  
"What do you mean, Rose? I only came here to visit my good friend Shadow, and to discuss something with him!"  
"Discuss what, Doctor?" Shadow said, folding his arms across his chest.  
"Discuss the effects Re-Birth had on you!"

"...Re-What?"

* * *

_I previously stated in my files that there will be no cure to counter- act the memory-loss that would occur after Re-Birth, and I had no real intention of ever finding such a cure for it, I have stumbled, partly by accident, a possible cure. This discovery now puts the whole Being Free project in jeopardy. For a very simple reason – if Shadow's memory was to return after Re-Birth had occurred, then I fear for his mental stability. A sudden input of memories into the mind could very easily cause very severe and quite possibly permanent psychological damage, to the extent that it could not be cured. This possibility scares me more than I have ever been afraid of before. Shadow was constructed as a part-weapon, so a weapon without anything to control it. I simply cannot put into words what fears I have..._

What have I done? I only now have started to realise the drastic nature of what my research has done, I have tried to play God with my own hands, unaware of the consequences of my actions. I just cannot understand how I could be so blind, my finest creation could very well destroy itself, and Shadow would have no way of counter-acting it, and what is worse, he would not be to blame. I feel so ashamed of what I have done, all I wanted to create was a friend for Maria, but I went too far... again...  
To whoever reads these files, I beg of you, as strange as the request I am about to make is, you must please carry it out. I know only too well that if you are reading this, that I am dead, so only these notes can protect Shadow. You must protect Shadow. Protect him from danger, from harm, from everything. While I am not suggesting that you place Shadow is solitary confinement, there must be some other way. Take him away to live on some far away desert island, change his ways so that he will be afraid of adventure or danger, and if all else fails, please attempt to use some kind of suspended animation machine to lock him away until such a time comes where peace reigns in the world...

Perhaps in the future mankind will have created means to preserve life forever, or that there is no war or danger, that I can only hope and pray for. I have seen how protective of Maria Shadow has become, and if something were to happen to her... I shudder at the possibilities of what could happen if he remembers her... I could only assume that upon Re-Birth, the end would be near...Not the end of Project Shadow, but of the world, mankind, civilisation as we know it, and I dare say... existence itself...

In simple terms: The end of Shadow could very well mean the end of the world.

* * *

Author NotesAnd that's another chapter up again, more to come of course, so keep a look out for the next updates and so on. Don't forget that if you like/love what you're reading, please review and give your opinions. If you don't like it, then ... um... review anyway! Constructive comments are always welcomed, but no flames. Remember - Flame is Lame! I NEED REVIEWS TO FUEL MY EGO AND CREATIVE MIND! That is all. I think.

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	9. Feeling

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

I do not own any of the Sonic characters used here, the only thing I own is  
this pineapple here! _Airo holds up a turnip_ WHAT? I don't even own a  
pineapple? THERE'S NO JUSTICE HERE!

Chapter 8 - Feeling

* * *

"Emotions - A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling"

* * *

"Re-What?" Shadow said.

"What do you mean? You know perfectly well I'm talking about Re-Birth! How else could you have survived the fall from space? Now tell me how you recovered your memory so fast, and what colour changes occurred after the Re-Birth had finished!" Doctor Robotnik roared back, angry at the apparent ignorence of the Ultimate Life-Form.  
"WHAT? I don't understand what you're talking about? What memory loss? What change?"  
"Of course you don't remember a memory loss fool! Now, tell me about the colour change that happened when you came out of Re-Birth! That only lasted a few days, what was it like, tell me now!"

Shadow didn't understand, Re-Birth? He'd never heard of such a thing, was that what had saved him from burning up? But he hadn't changed at all, when he woke up from the light, he was normal...  
"Hmph, I think you've got your facts wrong Doctor, there wasn't any colour change, unless you've been back on the eggnog again..."  
"Silence! That's the drink of a genius! No matter, you've answered enough of my questions anyway! Now, let's get out of here, before things get anymore out of control" Eggman pointed to the still hurting Knuckles, and Sonic gasping for oxygen.

"If you are suggesting that I abandon my new friends in favour of you, I'm afraid that's impossible Doctor. I'm leading my own life now."  
"You fool Shadow! What have these pathetic creatures been telling you? Have they promised you friendship? It's that bat, isn't it? You've fallen for her already haven't you? Don't you see what she'll do to you?"  
"HEY! Don't think you can decide what people can or can't do Egg-Brain!" came the sudden reply from Rouge.  
"HA! So be it, I'll soon show you the error of your ways Shadow. Haven't you guessed who stole the footage of you and gave it to the media? Have you already forgotten all the lies she told us both before ARK?"

Shadow had no reply to this fact, it was true, he knew it, he had even thrown away the idea of Rouge as trustworthy beforehand, and Shadow knew that, no matter how weird it might seem, the Doctor was correct. But what did he mean by saying that he'd 'fallen for her'?

"I can see it Shadow! You know I speak the truth! Then hear another: We all know that you are a creation of Gerald Robotnik, and is it not true that there hasn't been a creation of a Robotnik that Sonic has not been able to destroy?"  
Rouge was rapidly taking offence to the Doctor's attempts to convince Shadow, and couldn't take anymore. "HEY! Stop twisting the truth around Eggman! You aren't in any position to be making threats here!"

Eggman looked around, and noticed the presence of the army around.  
"WHAT? A TRAP! I should've known that they'd already brainwashed you Shadow! But never mind that now, as soon as I find out why Re-Birth didn't occur, I'll come back for you Shadow. Remember, a Robotnik created you, and a Robotnik is still your master! You'll see!" Without warning, Eggman activated a switch, and booster rockets appeared out of the pod, and instantly, Eggman was speeding away.

"HOLD MEN!" shouted theCorporal, commanding the troops, "He's gone now. Okay now, get all these cameras out of here, NOW! You've got your news-story now! I SAID MOVE!" The men then began moving the film crews out of the area, as Shadow was left standing, thinking about what Robotnik had said.  
'What did he mean, what is Re-Birth? A memory loss?'

"Yo! Shadow! You okay? All that stuff from Egg-Head didn't get to you, did it?" Sonic had finally managed to regain enough air to start moving around again.  
"No... it wasn't what he said, I guess he must have made it up. I've never heard of Re-Birth before..."  
"Urgh..." the sound of Knuckles getting up took Shadow's mind away from the thoughts of what the Doctor had said.  
"Still... he's got a point... maybe you'd like to explain how the press got the tape ROUGE!" Knuckles looked straight at Rouge when he said this, with a slight look of revenge in his eyes.  
"Now hold on guys, I can explain why..."

"I don't think that's necessary here Agent, I'll handle this." The commander of the army now spoke, directing his comment to Rouge. "You see, we had picked up information about Tails having a 'surprise about ARK', so we sent Rouge in to find it out. She brought us the tape, and we put it out to the media. You see Shadow, everyone around the world had been very emotional after ARK, and the sight of you being alive should be enough to lift everyone's spirits up. If anyone is to blame for this mess, it's us. Now, my name is Corporal Jenkins, and I'll take full responsibility if..."  
"No, I understand." Shadow stated, looking at the man Just, don't go sneaking into anymore houses anymore, okay?" Corporal Jenkins smiled. "I make sure that I don't, Shadow. Thank you, we'll make sure you guys are left alone. Agent Rouge, I need to speak with you for a minute."

He and Rouge then walked away from the group, till they were out of earshot. "Okay Rouge, I've heard about how you were thinking of quitting, and everyone knows damn well how you've been acting, and I don't need to tell you either. The fact is the bosses up top have become too concerned, and if you mess up, it's gonna be my neck on the line."

"What? Come on! You can't be..."  
"It's already been decided, the clean-up on your place finished last night, it was clean. You are no longer our concern."  
"So, you saying that I'm out?"  
"You said it. You're out. Do what you like with those guys, but remember, now that you're out, the next time you get caught stealing another gem, we won't be there to save you. Be careful." With that said, he turned and left, leaving a disheartened Rouge behind him.

'...I really should have seen that coming...' She thought, sighing  
"Rouge, are you okay?" Rouge turned around to answer Shadow.  
"...They fired me Shadow, I'm not an agent anymore."  
Shadow seemed a little surprised by this. "Rouge, this is all my fault, if I talk to them I'm sure that..."  
"No Shadow, it's fine. I was going to quit anyway. It's really my fault."  
"...I'm sorry."  
"Don't be. In fact, I'm sort of glad that I've gotten out of there, I won't have to file any more damn reports. Plus..."

It was at this point Shadow noticed something hanging from a chain around Rouge's neck. It looked like a gold ring, the kind Shadow had collected during the time before ARK and during his run through the Ocean Palace. But it, it seemed... familiar. Then something in Shadow's mind snapped into place. "Rouge... Is that... The glove band that I lost when Sonic tried to...?"

Rouge's eyes almost lit up. He recognised it! "Yes, yes it is! Shadow, do you mind if I keep it?"  
"Keep it? Well, sure, I don't really need it for... But why do you want..."  
Rouge smiled, walked up to Shadow, and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.  
"Let's just say... It makes me feel better, okay?" Rouge then gave Shadow a wink, before walking over to where Sonic and the others were. As she walked over, she smiled to herself.  
'And to think, those agents thought that I'd lost my touch, huh?'

Shadow stood, blushing for the first time in his life, putting a hand to where Rouge had kissed him. That had never happened to him before, but while not knowing what had just occurred, something inside him told him that it was... awesome...

* * *

"Gahh! Curse those do-gooders!" Eggman cursed"Now I'm probably going to have to find a way to deal with Sonic AND Shadow! This is going to take months of..."  
"We again interrupt your regular programming for another news flash! Ladies and Gentlemen, in a day where we have seen actual live footage of not only Shadow, but of a meeting between Dr. Eggman and Shadow, now comes this unbelievable news! We have just been informed, that while the meeting between the Doctor and Project Shadow was taking place, that the main vault in Central Reserve Bank in Station Square, thought to be the safest vault IN THE WORLD, has been robbed! Yes, I repeat, the Central Reserve..." came the excited voice from the TV set in the Eggpod. 

"Hmmm... very interesting, someone took advantage of the attention myself and Shadow had been receiving. Perhaps I should've gone to the Floating Island and gotten hold of..."  
"Wait, I'm just getting something else through... WHAT? I DON'T BELIEVE IT! A CHAOS EMERALD WAS STOLEN AS WELL?" The reporter practically yelled.  
"WHAT! There was an emerald?"  
"...Yes... an emerald under the ownership of... HEXAeco, the energy company... which was being kept in secure..."

"SO! They dare keep these things from me, eh? I'll deal with them later. But who could have the knowledge to pull off this kind of operation?"  
"...I am being told now... that this is likely to have been carried out by a crime gang of some-sort, and there seems to be little evidence of who carried out the attack, except for the signs of laser fire on the case that held the emerald... and this strange, note that reads:

**'1 jUST St0l3 j00r 3M3R4lD, 4nD j00 k0uld'NT ST0p M3! s19N3D, ph4n9 **

P.2. J00R S3cur1TY 12 T3Rr18l3'

...What the heck does that mean?"

"Fools!" Eggman turned the screen off. "That's l33tsp33k! Now, let's see what that means... Hmm... 'I just stole your emerald... and you couldn't stop me... signed...' WHAT? Could it be?"

* * *

"So, what are you planning to do now, Rouge?" The pink hedgehog asked the bat  
"Oh, I don't know Amy. I'll probably just be a regular treasure hunter now, I don't want to risk spending some time in jail." She replied. "I'm sure Shadow would bust you out in no time!"  
"Huh? Wha... Is it that obvious?"  
"Rouge, almost everyone in the world probably knows that you've got the hots for him! The 'charm' you've got around you neck proves that!" 

"Well, he said I could keep it, I guess he doesn't hate me, that's for sure, but I don't know... maybe I shouldn't have..." "Ooooh! Whatyado, whatyado?"  
"Well, after Shadow agreed, I... gosh I'm blushing right now! Well, I... kissed him on the cheek..."  
"ROUGE! WOW! You don't wait long, do you?"  
"Amy, you can relate to this, can't you? These past two weeks have felt like an eternity to me, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, without thinking about him, but after I kissed him, it felt like... a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders!"  
Amy sighed, she too knew what it was like not to see the hedgehog she loved. "...Yeah, I hear you girl. But now he knows, right?"  
"Well, maybe, I haven't told him vocally, do you think he knows anyway?" "Something tells me he'll put it all together soon enough!"

* * *

"Well Shadow?"  
"...Well what, Sonic?"  
"Do you like her?"  
"...Like who?" 

"Rouge! Do you like her?"  
"...Well... I don't know... um..."  
"You don't know? Dude! She's totally head over heels for you man! She's wears that ring-band of yours around her neck! She loves you man!"  
"Is that why... She kissed me?"  
"SHE WHAT? OH MAN! Tell me dude, how'd it happen?"

"Well, after she talked to that army guy, she seemed unhappy, so I went over and talked to her, she asked if she could keep my glove band, I said yes and asked her why, then she kissed me on the cheek... and said that it made her feel better."  
"Holy hot Hill Top lava dude! You have gotten yourself a girl!"  
"Well... What should I do?"  
"Well, the only thing I know about love is stay away from Amy, but I don't know about REAL love, since that isn't it... I think... But don't worry! I'm sure that Tails will help out as well, so we'll make sure it works out fine!"  
"Thanks Sonic, I really have no idea what do to..."

* * *

Meanwhile, standing far away from the city, the lone thief sat up against a tree, holding a newly stolen Chaos Emerald in one hand, and a large sack full of other stolen items in the other.  
"Darn... Sometimes it's just too easy... But I've finally done somethin' to get me damn respect around here. Yeah, soon they'll read my name along with the greats... Then it'll be the LEGENDARY master thief, Fang the Sniper!"

* * *

_Classified Information – G.U.N. Intelligence Gathering Sector _

Subject: Hidden ARK Project – Project Being Free.

Information: Data gathered from central ARK computers indicate that Project Being Free was created and completed without almost anyone on the colony knowing. It is believed only the Robotnik family, Professor Gerald and Maria (shot dead when she released Project Shadow from ARK via an escape pod), knew of the Project's existence. It has been confirmed as being a part of the Ultimate Life-Form (i.e. it is inside Project Shadow). We have analysed the data and have concluded that the 'Re-Birth' process is actually a self-destruct mechanism, designed as a back up plan if Project Shadow does not reactivate the Eclipse Cannon on ARK (as we know, Professor Gerald Robotnik has become mentally unstable upon hearing the news of Maria Robotnik's death, which lead him to insert a self-destruct system in the Cannon). While we are not 100 sure that this is true, we cannot take any chances. This is why we suggest that Shadow should be locked away in suspended animation until such a way has been invented as to dispose of it safely (or used as a suicide weapon against enemy forces during a conflict, why have our men lose their lives when we can get rid of a war and a dangerous problem at the same time).

_Project Shadow is a weapon, a weapon that will be more destructive dead than alive. Therefore he will be stored on Prison Island until he can be 'defused' safely, otherwise he could potentially destroy himself and the world at the same time. This information is classified in the highest priority, therefore copies of this file should be destroyed as soon as read, do not pass on. _

Additional Unauthorised Note by Professor Gerald Robotnik: Do not think G.U.N. that I have not been reading your files from the computer in the cell you've been keeping me in. I have been saving these files and sending then to ARK's database,along with the truth about them in the form of my notes at the bottom. You and your fellow murderous humans will be punished for your crimes. Re-Birth was designed to give Shadow a second chance, something you all do not deserve, and unless I am given a sign by Maria herself that my actions are wrong, you will all die! If my revenge has already been taken on the world, then I apologise to whoever reads this, and I pray you find and save Shadow. I only hope he is not awoken from his frozen state into a world where he would have to go onto ARK, I cannot imagine the heartache he would feel...

Or how I would feel knowing my creator was going to destory the world that I so longed to visit...

_

* * *

_

Author notes: Chapter the Eighth is now up! Yippie! Fist off, huge thanks 2 Sonic/Anime & Celestial for their reviews, I never knew my work touched people in that way, reviews like that are what keep me inspired as a writer, so I truely thank you. Ebverybody, let me know what you think, or what you think is going to happen or what you'd like to see or whatever, I'd like to get lost more opinions on what I've been doing. Are you all interested in what 'Re-Birth' is? You should be, as it plays an extremely important role in the future...

**N.B.** Please be aware that from here on in, Being Free features HUGE spoilers for Sonic Heroes, so if you haven't played it, go and do so, otherwise enjoyment may be removed from your gaming experience(unless you just watch the opening credits for Sonic Heroes, in which case there's no mystery in it at all...). Oh my, a public service announcement, I'm getting way too serious...

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	10. Beginning

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

I don't own Sonic, Shadow etc. Only my turnip... cries

Chapter 9 - Beginning

* * *

"Prelude - An introductory performance, event, or action preceding a more important one."

* * *

The last few days had been very hectic, to say the least. The return of the Ultimate Life-Form, the media frenzy that ensued, Rouge being fired from her 'job' as an agent, Eggman appearing without using some new machine to try and kill Sonic, and the discovery of the Chaos Emerald at the Ocean Palace. It was little wonder that come mid-afternoon; there was finally an air of calm around the Mystic Ruins. Rouge and Amy were still talking to each other, mainly about 'their' men.

Tails was working on improving his latest Tornado, while Knuckles had already returned to the floating island. Sonic had taken off once again, so no one was quite sure where or what he was doing. The only person, who was not really that calm, was Shadow.

He had been sitting by the waterfall pool for the past half-hour or so, hoping that the sounds of the cascading water would put his mind at ease. It wasn't working. His thoughts were of the echidna girl Tikal, and 'Re- Birth'. Shadow reasoned from what Tikal had said, that he'd been essentially lured to the Chaos Emerald, to be teleported to... wherever he'd been sent to; and from what his friends had said, her words were of great importance.

But they made no sense, they had no meaning.

Was she some kind of spirit, some voodoo priestess who could talk to the dead? Had she really spoken to Maria? What of those Chao creatures he had seen? He knew of them, he had once been dragged into a Chao Garden by Rouge once, but could not understand what purpose these small, defenceless creatures had. He didn't understand them then, in his 'old life'. Was now the time to understand them?

There was also what the Doctor had said. Did this 'Re-Birth' really save him? It was possible that any 'colour change' that he had undergone could've passed while he was in the coma state, but it was equally likely that there was no such thing as 'Re-Birth', the Doctor could have easily made it up. These things were just too confusing; Shadow's mind almost hurt trying to figure it all out. Double maths on ARK seemed more fun that this right now.

"Yo, Shadow!" Shadow turned around, and saw Sonic.  
"Sonic, where did you head to?"  
"Heh, nowhere man. Just a quick check to see that all the fuss had calmed down. Everybody's concerned about a bank robbery or something. What's up back here?"  
"Nothing, just... thinking..."  
"You gotta stop doing that, you'll be turning into Tails at this rate!"

* * *

Fang was having the best day of his life! He'd managed to break into the 'safest' vault in the world, and got away with it! He was on top of the world, and he never wanted to come back down. He stepped into his secret underground base, and placed his bag of winnings onto a table, before placing the Chaos Emerald onto a stand he had used to hold the emeralds before, that long time ago when he had briefly teamed up with Dr. Robotnik and that stupid echidna. He hadn't worked with them since, rather concentrating on improving his own abilities rather than others. He wanted to be prepared if he had to tangle with that Sonic again...

"Computer! Boot up, password 'Triple Trouble'." He shouted to the computer  
_"Checking..."_ came the voice of the computer._ "...Voice recognition confirmed. Welcome back Fang."_  
"Computer, tick off 'Operation Bank Blow-out' a complete success! Oh, and have some of my Fang-Bots count-out the rewards of today for me."_ "Requests confirmed. Will be carried out."_

Fang smiled as two of his Fang-Bots came in, took the bag, and went off into the 'Collection House'. While his short teaming up with Robotnik had not been to productive money wise, he had been given a collection of Badniks to use against Sonic. When it became clear he was fighting a losing battle, he took the classic 'Nack' way out, and ran off like a coward. It worked well, the police never found him (but perhaps that was due to the fact that police are still looking for a Nack the Weasel, not a Fang. It was surprising how much a name change can remove a guy's criminal record.). But he ran off with the Badniks in tow, since Eggman had programmed then to obey Fang's every word. After some skilful mainframe hacking, they were completely loyal to him, even responding to the name change he had given them.

Fang was not just a common thief, he was an expert. He'd been perfecting his computer hacking skills for months almost non-stop, and the results had paid off well. Stealing credit card numbers, finding out about money delivery times, and creating a pass code that would by-pass the security protocols in the Central Reserve Bank in Station Square. All seemed too easy to him, far too easy. Maybe perhaps why he now looked for an even bigger operation.

"Computer, log onto the government secure information site. Usual username and so on"  
_"Understood, processing... ... ...Warning, username has been removed from active use, use of this identity could cause security breach."_  
"Huh? Odd...I'll have 'ta check that out... Gah! Just log on as one o' the other names off the list then!"  
_"Processing... ... ...Log on successful. Access granted."_ "Search information computer, search item: 'Chaos Emerald'."  
_"Processing... ...Results found, would you like to narrow down results?"_  
"Yes, find items relevant to: 'Location Of'."

* * *

Shadow, Tails and Sonic were now talking about the best way to try and handle the situation between Shadow and Rouge. They had been doing so for about a quarter of an hour or so.

"I'm very worried about you Shadow."  
"Why are you worried Miles?"  
"It's just that, well, you and Rouge, being together and everything..."  
"We know Tails, don't sweat it bro!" Sonic stated."We'll make sure nothing major screws up, you'll be fine!"

"Hey guys, what are you three talking about?" Rouge had just stepped in, followed by Amy. "Oh Um... me, Miles and Sonic were..." Shadow looked out the corner of his eye, to see Sonic mouthing the words: 'No! No!' and shaking his head slightly. "...Ah! Yes! We weren't talking about you, that's right! We weren't!"

Sonic slapped his forehead with his hand, and let it slide down so it covered his face. Tails had fallen over, anime style.  
"...Okay... you weren't talking about me..."  
"Yes... we... um... okay I screwed up didn't I?"

"YES! YOU DID!" Tails and Sonic shouted in unison, as well as at the same time.  
"AWWW! My sweet Sonic is giving Shadow love advice! I just KNEW you were the romantic type!"  
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"  
"So... are you saying Shadow, that you want me to be... your girlfriend?" Rouge asked, in a slightly suggestive tone. "Well...you see... the thing is... I'm not sure how to... really say this, but... I guess if that's what it's called... then I..."

Shadow was now noticeably blushing, if he knew it or not, which stood out nest to his black fur. So before he could finish stumbling through his sentence, Rouge placed a finger over his lips, silencing him, and stared deep into his eyes.  
"The answer is yes Shadow, whatever the question." Rouge then gently brought a hand around the back of Shadow's head, pulling him up slightly from his seated position, while leaning forward. Eventually, for what seemed an eternity to both, they slowly reach other, as Rouge placed her lips onto Shadow's in a soft, lingering kiss. The sensation both felt was something different to both of them, and as they broke off this kiss and looked into each others' eyes again, something in their hearts spoke to them, proclaiming: 'This is the one'.

* * *

Fang's computer scan had come up with the results he desired. He had printed off the data, and was now looking over a large map of the world, with miniature emerald statues placed around in.  
"So, that's an emerald in that new casino city that started up, one in the deep jungle with the rain frogs, one in abandoned railway system over the canyons, and one in that creepy place full of old haunted castles. That means there's two unaccounted for, but I can guess that Robotnik or Sonic either have one or both of them... That makes collecting them all slightly difficult then. Hmm..."

Fang sat back in his computer chair, thinking about the best way to handle this. You couldn't just trick those guys; they were too smart for that. You had to actually beat them. Not the easiest of tasks though, Robotnik always has tough fortifications around him, as well as those violent mechas of his. And Sonic was too quick, too athletic. The odds were very slim indeed – just the way Fang liked them to be. After all, only fools rush in, why should he have to make another move, and one that may backfire on him later? Fang had waited for so long for today, he could easily wait for another. It wouldn't be long before either of them slipped up...

* * *

"CURSES! DAMNATION! STUPID STUPID HEDGEHOGS! NOW THEY'RE BOTH AGAINST ME, ONE WAS BAD ENOUGH, BUT TWO OF THE PESKY RODENTS? ARRRGGGGHHH!" Eggman's roars were shaking though the whole base, as he unleashed his anger upon no one in particular. "NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE WEASEL HIDES FOR YEARS, AND THEN SPRINGS OUT OF NOWHERE AND UPSTAGES ME! CAN A GENIUS NOT GET ANY RESPECT AROUND HERE?"

_"Respect is earned Doctor, never given"_ came a metallic voice from behind him.  
"WHAT NOW? Oh, it's you Metal Sonic, what do you want? I'm not in a good mood right now"  
_"Don't worry Doctor, I just wanted to show you my latest catches..."  
_ "...Catches?"

Metal Sonic nodded, before producing two small cages, one containing a dark Chao, the other, a green frog.  
"...Is this your idea of a joke Metal? Because I'm more in the mood for..."  
_"Doctor, I've analysed these two creatures, who I've found to have traces of Chaos' DNA, to be more precise, Perfect Chaos"_  
"WHAT? You mean the same Perfect Chaos that destroyed Station Square months ago! This is great news! I can use that data to enhance some of my machines, and with the fleet of battle ships that I created for when I should've used ARK to take over, I'll finally be able to destroy that cursed Sonic once and for all!"

_"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Doctor."_ Metal Sonic said, as he let go of the cages, allowing them to drop to the floor, causing the occupants inside them to squeal in shock.  
"GAH! Be more careful with those! We need them intact for our plan!"  
_"Correction Doctor. I need them for MY plan!"_  
"...What did you just say?"

_"SILENCE EGGMAN! YOU'RE SERVICES ARE NO LONGER NEEDED AROUND HERE!"_ Metal Sonic roared, before silencing his former master with a paralysing electric shock. Eggman instantly was hit by it, and went down._ "Such a pathetic waste of life, just like all organic matter in this world... Soon to be my world... MY WORLD!"_ Metal Sonic then arrogantly stepped over the unconscious body of the Doctor, before grabbing the P.A. microphone and switching it on. _"ATTENTION ALL ROBOTS! This is Metal Sonic speaking; you all now have permission to begin using your new programming that I uploaded earlier today. From now on, you only accept commands from myself, Metal Sonic. Not Doctor Robotnik, nor anyone else. ONLY MYSELF!"_ Metal was about to turn the microphone off, when another idea struck him. _"...Please also be aware, that you may now only refer to myself as... Metal Overlord... That is all."

* * *

_

_Soon the world will either end, or two worlds will begin again... The choices are of death to a life-less world, or re-birth into a world even more full of life than before... But for the dark to awaken into light, dark must first discover painful light... This is a quest that cannot be done alone, but only with fellow blood... One whowill actas guide...Who will have eyes that see where he cannot,ears where he has none, knowledge where mind is blank...The time is soon... Please ask Shadow to forgive me if I confused him, I was not aware that Re-Birth had not occured... But I have made a promise to Maria that Shadow will be protected, and I have seen the person to go with him on the quest... One who deserves a chance to lead a second life, just as he had... Soon Shadow... These are the blessed words of Tikal the Echidna... You will understand in time... When the seven servers unite in your birthplace... There you will be forgiven... But we may not..._

* * *

Author note: There's Chapter 9 up for you all! If it seemed a bit random, don't worry, it all makes sense in the future, so it was sort of the scene setting for the future plot... Oh, and I warned you that there'd be Sonic Heroes spoilers! Okay, since I've received a HUGE positive feedback for Being Free, this bit (the bit under the fic) is now reserved for answering reviewers comments and stuff like that, so if you don't like reading that, then you know not to read any further! 

First off, I've become aware thanks to the greatness of the Stats section of the whole Log-In control panel/centre etc blah-blah (Not its real name) that I am on the Author Alert Watch List of THREE (Three shalt be the number count, and the number of the counting shall be three...) people! **Skittles the Sugar Fairy**, **Chibi Yoshi** and **Sonic/Anime** are the people with good taste (lol sorry an old joke I use), and have reviewed this story as well! Except for Chibi, you haven't reviewed yet, but I'm assuming you really like Being Free (why else me put on list, no?). Why not let me know what ya think of this chapter, people's comments do help me work more on new stuff!

Next, review comments! Thanks to everyone who reviewed pre-chapter 8, you all rule, but that would take up time to talk about so I'm just gonna reply to those who've reviewed chapter 8, so if you guys wanna see your names in this bit, review again! (Damnit Airo, that was a cheap plug!) Oh, and don't worry if I've put you as a new reviewer, I just like to count off the new people enjoying my stuff :

**Celestial the Hedgird** - Thanks again for the support, nice to see you're interested in Re-Birth, it plays a part in the future, so keep a look out! Hope this chapter is enough until the next one comes along! **Sonic/Anime** - Don't worry! I take it as a huge thumbs-up if people are lost for words when reading my stuff, espically since I don't know myself if I've written a good piece. I'd rather have constructive critism than nothing at all. **Milette Tails Prower** - New Reviewer! Don't worry, Being Free won't end until I say so! And that won't be for a good while yet! I'll keep on going for a good while **Mystica-Moshi** - New Reviewer! I'm glad you liked the Prelude, but does that mean you don't like anything else? Let me know! **Phantom and Shadow** - New Reviewer! A big shout out to you my friend, you took the time out to review EVERY CHAPTER SO FAR! Not only that, you put me on your Favorites List too! I GOT ME A BIG FAN, YIPPIE! (Focus Airo, focus!) I'm a big fan of 'The Dark Couple' (Shadouge), so I thought they'd be good in this story! You seemed confused by Tikal, but bare in mind what she said, as Tikal reappears later... Thanks again for all your reviews, It's good to see people enjoying what I do!

That's a total of 13 new reviews shared among 5 reviewers 0o Is that divided by Pie? Nevermind, but thanks to all who reviewed! If people don't like this reviewing comment bit, then DON'T READ IT! It isn't that difficult to move down quickly to the very bottom of the page! Anyway, it's my fan-fic, and I'll write how I like! AUTHOR POWER. Okay, that's quite enough of that! Send in the reviews people, and I'll get going bringing you all more of Being Free! (Oh, I almost forgot... 20,000 words! GO ME!)

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	11. Mission

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

Me? Own Sonic, Shadow or other associated characters? IS YOU CRAZY?

Chapter 10 - Mission

* * *

"Quest - The act or an instance of seeking or pursuing something."

* * *

Eggman awoke, cursing as he held his head. He had one major headache, and his body seemed to be very tense. He looked around, to find himself in what appeared to be a storage room. There were a few half opened crates piled up, as well as lazily placed piles of spare parts, rarely used machines, and basic tools that he had not used for years. It was slowly dawning on him what had happened. Metal Sonic had taken over and rebelled against his creator. He was trapped, and since his only allies where of the robotic kind, it wasn't likely that anyone was going to save him anytime soon. For once, it seemed that the Doctor had finally created something that even he couldn't control.

"Curses... I must find a way out of here... or better yet, have someone else come and rescue me... but how..."  
The Doctor was thinking, and thinking quickly. He got up, and opened up the crates, hoping that he could find a least half useful to his cause. Luckily, Eggman rarely threw away anything he had used or created, so while he might not find the means to escape, he would at least find some communications device. But then he remembered something else, as he felt in his jacket pocket, and pulled something out. His Chaos Emerald...

* * *

"SONIC! SHADOW! ANYONE!" Tails was shouting rather excitedly, which was usually nothing new, but there also seemed to be a hint of worry in his voice. He was very loud though, which woke up Sonic from his sleep.  
"Huh? Wha? Tails... keep it down will ya? It's only 10 O'clock buddy..." Sonic half mumbled, as he pulled his pillow over his ears. But he wasn't loud enough for Tails to hear him. Thankfully, for Sonic at least, Shadow had been up for a while, and so had heard the young fox.

"What's up Miles?"  
"OH! BIG NEWS!"  
"Hey! Keep it down, the others may be trying to sleep."  
"Sorry Shadow, but I heard off the news, and then I got this letter, and then the bank news with the, and the, with the, I mean, umm... wait what was the first thing?"  
"...What?"  
"...Um... OH! That bank robbery yesterday!"  
"What about it?"  
"A Chaos Emerald was stolen!"

"AN EMERALD?" Shadow shouted, after which there were the frantic sounds of people moving around in the house, followed by everyone who'd been previously asleep or half asleep to pile into the room. "...That's one way to wake people up, I guess..."  
"What's this about an emerald Tails? What happened?" Sonic asked  
"The news said the Central Reserve Bank was broken into! Someone hacked into the mainframe, put in a made up code that deactivated everything, and snuck off with the emerald!"  
"NO WAY!" shouted Rouge, "That place is one of the most secure places in the world! It would take a whole gang of people to just get into that place!"  
"That's not all! They know who did it as well, 'cus he left a note saying that..."  
"HE? You mean just one guy did it?" Rouge was even more shocked  
"Yeah! It's amazing, huh?"  
"Who then Miles, who did it?"

* * *

"Ah! Another glorious day for a master thief!" Fang gloated, the media and police had only just figured out the note he'd left, and now he was on the receiving end of widespread attention, and a large bounty on his head. "Them fools won't eva get close to me now!"

_"Sir, a request for a video message had been received"_ came the voice of Fang's computer.  
"Huh? From who?"_  
"Identifying... signal registered to be from Dr. Robotnik."_  
"Put him on! He probably wants to congratulate me on my success, and ask me for my emerald!"

The computer screen loaded up, and the face of Dr. Robotnik appeared, although he seemed to be a little worse for the ware.  
"Doctor! Long time no speak! What do I hav' tha' pleasure of talkin' to you for?"  
"Fang! This is serious! I have been taken hostage in my own base, Metal Sonic has turned against me, and I fear that he may been preparing to do something drastic soon!"  
"...Damn"  
"Exactly, what's worse, is that he is planning to copy the life data of Chaos to somehow transform himself..."

"Chaos? That weird watery thing that destroyed Station Square a while back?"  
"Yes! He's gaining power, and he's planning to take over the world! You must help me Fang! I need help now!"  
"Okay, okay, let me think... what have you got at your end?"  
"Let's see... I have this laptop that I'm using to speak to you with, a small transceiver, some various tools, and a Chaos Emerald. But I dare not use any of them, for fear of what might happen if I were to be caught!"  
"...Hang on, did you mention a transceiver?"

"Yes, why?"  
"Hold on, Doctor." Fang then went over to a small box over on a pile of old clothes, and opened it, and quickly pulled out a small walkie-talkie. "Does it look like this?" Fang asked, holding up to the screen so the Doctor can see on the other end.  
"Yes! That's it!" The Doctor replied, holding up his, and switching it on. Fang did the same with his, before switching the volume off on his computer.  
"Fang? Fang? Can you hear me?"  
"Loud and clear Doctor! It works well! At least now you can talk freely!"  
"Why? What do you have in mind?"  
"I'm thinking about having some 'old friends' of mine help out in this situation..."

* * *

"Nack did it huh? I always wondered where that guy ended up. I thought he's learned his lesion after the first time I beat him..." Sonic said.  
"That explains that, but what about this letter from Eggman?" Tails said."Three days until he unleashes his weapon?"  
"It was only yesterday that he was talking about 'Re-Birth'. Is that what he's discovered?" Shadow questioned.  
"Well, there's only one way to find out!" Sonic replied, a cocky smirk on his face."Tails, you grab the Tornado and get Knuckles, we might need his help in this one."  
"Huh! Why do we need that dread-head?"  
"Come on Rouge, I sure he's not that bad. I'll make sure he doesn't give you anymore trouble"  
"Awww... thank you Shadow!"

The conversation was broken by the sound of a knock on the front door. Tails opened it to find Cream, Cheese and Big the Cat standing there.  
"Hey guys! What are you doing here?" Tails asked  
"Mr. Tails, someone has taken away Cheese's twin, Chocola."  
"What? Why?"  
"I don't know, but Chocola is gone, and so is Mr. Big's friend Froggy!"  
"Froggy..." Big sadly replied.  
"Hmmm... this is getting weirder by the minute!" Sonic stated."Come on guys, let's gone and sort this out! I've got a feeling that Eggman is somehow related to all of this..."

* * *

"Do you think they'll fall for this trick Fang?" ask a slightly concerned voice from the communicator.  
"Without a doubt, Doctor. Just promise lots o' cash, and they'll do anythin'. During the whole ARK thing, the real police were on high alert, so no need for detectives. Business has been slow, so I here, so any work they can get they'll do. You forget, these guys ain't the same as they were years ago – Mighty quit, then they started getting all serious and wantin' to do the right thing. That stuff happens when you're known as being the 'crew' of a guardian i suppose, but that god damn bee freaks the hell outta me sometimes..."  
"Why are we going to them then if they can't get the..."  
"Oh no! They can still take names like the best of them, it's just they do it for money now."  
"I don't have money to burn on them, what if they don't...?"  
"THEY won't know that will they? Just promise that you've got it and that you'll be paid when they finish the job! 3 days should be plenty of time to make up some excuse why you don't have the money!"

* * *

"Yes... I understand... thank you very much for your co-operation, thank you." Tails hung up the telephone receiver. "Guys, the police said they've just heard that a load of Eggman robots have just been seen around the Seaside Hill area!"  
"Hey, I've been there, that's where I found my emerald" Shadow replied.  
"Ha, then you should have no worries a second time then," came the voice of Knuckles, who was leaning against a post in the room where everyone had gathered.  
"Eggman must be after the emeralds!" Rouge assumed."I knew he was bluffing, he just wanted to scare us into thinking he was ready."  
"We don't know that for a fact..." Shadow began to say, when Sonic cut him off  
"But at least we know where the Egghead is! Come on! Let's move out" Sonic was already halfway out the door, as the others followed his lead. While Knuckles way have been very sure that nothing was going to happen, Shadow wasn't so sure. Something in his mind doubted the safety of the mission they were undertaking. Something warned him about going in so quickly. He felt that something was wrong, something not quite right. There was a danger ahead, a danger that could come for himself, for Sonic, for Miles... even for Rouge.

* * *

"Okay Doctor, keep quite until you can hear them inside alright? We'll take over on our side, so you just hang on in." Fang said, as he placed the receiver into a small cardboard box.  
"Are you sure that you'll be able to find the other emeralds?" the voice of Robotnik asked from the receiver.  
"Absolutely! I got all previous sightings marked on the laptop with me, plus, the emeralds act like some kinda 'mini-radar' when another's close! Like candy from a kid Doc! Now you remember to keep quiet 'til they open this box up, and DON'T tell them who you are, otherwise they might not help ya out. We can only talk by computer now, so I'll be in touch."

With that said, Fang placed the led onto the box and tied it up with a piece of string. He then quietly made his way up to the front door of the house and placed the box on the front step. Fang then hammered on the front door, before taking off and leaping into a nearby bush for cover, as he waited to see if his plan worked. The door slowly opened, and a head peaked out.

"Hello? Who's there? I thought I heard... HEY! A box!" the voice was of a young bee, who threw the door open and picked up the box. "Hmm... It says: 'To the Chaotix Detective Agency. Work is inside me.'  
"WORK! YIPPIE! IT'S HERE!" the bee was now shouting as he took the box inside and slammed the door shut. He was still so loud that Fang could still hear him from outside. "IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE!"

'Well, that's the Doctor's escape taken care of. As long as that bee doesn't break the damn receiver...' Fang thought to himself, walking away from the house of the Chaotix. 'Who'd have thought that I'd be spending my time looking for the Chaos Emeralds to save the Eggman from...' He stopped for a second, as a different thought occurred to him. 'Come to think of it, I'm kinda saving the world doing this... Heh! Now that'd be somethin' new... Nah, nobody'd believe THAT story...'

* * *

Author notes: Chapter 10! Now review/author comments bit! So if you don't like that stuff, scroll past this bit and review! 

**Anthony Bault** - I know a lot of people like this story, but I prefer to hear what people are saying. Thanks for the positiveness, Re-Birth takes effect soon... **Celestial the Hedgird** - Yeah, cliffhangers rule all, I have to do something to keep the readers happy! Thanks for the continued support. **Sonic/Anime** - Lots of more reviews from people would be very nice, but since this is my first published story, I'm not expecting huge swarms of reviews (rather, I'm wishing for them), thanks again for the support. **hyper Phantom** - Good to hear that I'm keeping people happy, now you can see your name again! **Mystica-Moshi** - Super-viewer! Thanks for taking the time to review every chapter, but if you had nothing to say for chapter 6, was there a point to you reviewing it? As I've said before, I'm a big Shadouge fan, so it's too bad if you don't like it! Thanks for noticing Rouge thinking about Knuckles, I had to put a way of putting a stop to a Rouckles pairing (if that isn't a name already used for it THEN I OWNZ IT!) and inforce the Shadouge. Thanks again for the reviews.

It's all good people, school's out and I'm working hard on more chapters (even though I spent a day re-writing stuff because I couldn't work it through. But I should put stuff up on a regular basis (or sooner). Also, because I want to connect with my audience (hello internet people!), if certain chapters or parts confuse you in Being Free, feel free (no pun intended) to ask about them in your reviews, or drop me an e-mail or try via Instant messenger etc. Ask you will get, as that old saying goes etc, so send in the reviews people! Here's to the next 10 chapters!

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	12. Despair

**Being Free**

Written by Airo 'Insanity Inc' Smicktor

I have never owned any of the characters used here, nor is it likely that I  
ever will (unless Sega or Sonic Team goes really crazy)

Chapter 11 - Despair

* * *

"Shock - Something that jars the mind or emotions as if with a violent unexpected blow."

* * *

"Say Shadow, was this area so hectic when you were here last time?" The blue hedgehog asked.  
"No way Sonic, there's more traps and robots around. It was only about two days ago since I was here."  
"How could Eggman mobilise so quickly?" Tails asked  
"That's not our concern Tails, we've got to stop him, whatever he's up to." Knuckles said  
"It's a trap, I'm sure of it. Maybe we shouldn't have split up from the others..." Shadow began to say.  
"You worry too much, Shadow. Amy, Rouge and Big can handle anything together, so Cream's in safe hands." The guardian said.  
"I know that Knuckles, but I can't help feeling that there's something not right around here..."  
"That's a no-brainer! When ever Eggman's around, nothing's right!" Sonic joked  
"...That's not what I meant..." Shadow said under his breath, realising the conversation was going nowhere.

* * *

"Froggy... I miss my Froggy..."  
"Amy, is he always like this?" Rouge asked, in a whisper.  
"Yes, you get used to it eventually." The pink hedgehog replied."It's just that Froggy was taken before, and that was during the Chaos incident, and they'd been friends for a very long time..."  
"Chao, chao-chao..." Cheese whimpered, in a very sad-sounding voice.  
"Don't worry Cheese, we'll all help find Chocola together!" 

"It doesn't really make sense, a Chao and a frog?" The bat said in disbelief  
"I don't understand it either, but we've got to find that Eggman before Sonic and the others do."  
"...Why?"  
"Because if we do, Sonic will see how smart and brave I am, and then there's no way he can resist me!"

Rouge faked a smile, pretending that she thought Amy's 'plan' would work. Still, she had some kind of a point, would Shadow be impressed to see her take down Eggman with this kind of back up? 'An erratic Sonic-obsessed pink hedgehog, a 6 year old rabbit, a Chao and a fishing cat hardly makes up even the 20th best fighting force against Eggman. The odds are stacked against me this time,' Rouge thought, 'But then again, when aren't they? Besides, this might be just the kind of challenge a girl like me needs nowadays. I can't spend all my time love struck over a hedgehog like Amy does. Although... that might not be so bad...'

* * *

_"You've got... One... New E-Mail message." _

Fang pulled out his mini-computer out of his pocket, and flipped the screen up. "Show message, it'll be the Doc"

_Showing message:_  
_'Fang, this is Robotnik. You were right about the Chaotix, promise money, and they come running. I sent them on a few 'tests' to see if they are as good as you say they are, they've been hunting Hermit Crabs and rescuing Chao for me, and they've produced excellent results! I've been reading some of Metal Sonic's entries in his 'diary', he's luring out Sonic for a battle near the Ocean Palace. What's worse, he's going disguised as ME! The ignorance of it all! He steals my machines, my robots and now my identity! He'll pay for this, he'll pay dearly! Remember, the emerald count so far is 2 to us, one to Sonic, and luckily none to Metal. For some reason Metal is not interested in the emeralds, so either he is very confident in his abilities, or he is blinded by his own greed. I hope for the latter. Keep me informed of your progress Fang, I'm counting on you! – Dr. Robotnik. _

P.S. I have attached some files about Sonic and the others, as well as files on Project Shadow and the ARK incident. You may be able to use this information to your advantage. Please pay close attention to the file concerning 'Re-Birth', I fell that it may become very relevant in the near future.'

"...I guess that Metal isn't hanging around, I better hurry along myself then, I don't want to get caught up in any fight between Sonic's gang and Metal's army. I'll take the scenic short cut around the Palace. Nice o' the Doc to send me this kinda stuff, I don't know nothin' about ARK, but that 'Re-Birth' file's gotta be somethin', he said 'please'! He ain't never been that polite before..."

* * *

"I don't get it, we've been through the whole place, and there's no sign of Eggman anywhere..." Knuckles said, shaking his head.  
"It's quiet as well..." Sonic said."And that's unusual for an area taken over by Egg- Brain's robots. Where is he...?"  
"SONNNNNIIICCCC!" Amy's voice shouted, causing Sonic to grab Shadow and hide behind him.  
"GAH! Amy! Hide me, quick!"  
"You're just a fast as me!" Shadow stated, shoving Sonic away."Hide yourself!" 

Sonic didn't react fast enough, as he felt the grip of Amy's arms wrapping around him. Sonic hardly noticed Amy's look of glee as he struggled to find a way to escape.  
"Oh Sonic, I've missed you so much!"  
"ACK! It...was...only...an hour...ago...can't...breathe..."  
"We didn't find Froggy anywhere..." came the sad voice of Big, who, along with Cream, Rouge and Cheese, had followed Amy but at a slower pace.

"We didn't find anything either, just Eggman's robots." Tails stated  
"It's too strange, why would Eggman send out... wait..."  
"Huh, what is it Rouge?" Shadow asked  
"I can hear something... sounds like... engines or something..."

"CHAO! CH-AO!"  
"What is it Cheese?" Cream asked her Chao friend  
"CHAO! CHAO!" Cheese was pointing into the distance, where there seemed to be some kind of aircraft heading in their direction.  
"What is that?" Tails said, looking at the object.

"Eggman." Came the voices of Sonic and Shadow together. Sure enough, as the craft headed closer towards them, they could see the familiar rounded shape of Dr. Robotnik, who seemed to be in control of some sort of flying mechanical bird.

"MWHAHAHAHA!" came the abominable manic laughter from the craft, which could only belong to the infamous Doctor. The craft flew high and over the heads of the group below, and headed off wards. Instantly, Sonic and Shadow took the lead and headed off after Eggman, with the others following behind.

Eventually, Eggman's craft stopped in an area full of small sand islands connected by stone bridges, with stone pillars on both sides of the bridges. Metal Sonic smirked; he had reached the Sand Circles. Surrounded by water, he had an advantage over Sonic. It was a well-known fact that Sonic's major weakness was water. If all went according to plan, Sonic would be gone for good, and there would be no need for the 'final transformation' he had planned as a final plan. It would also mean he no longer had to shape his body into the form of Eggman to trick Sonic, but it was a necessary step to keep his true intentions secret. But there was a slight complication, Sonic had brought many allies with him, usually he only had that freak Tails with him, which he'd planned for, but there were 6 others as well as those 2, and one of which was Project Shadow. This changed things slightly; he would have to be careful.

_"Sir, there are more organic life-forms confirmed in the area." _Came the voice of the Eggpod's computer that Metal was sitting in  
"How many?" asked Metal, in Eggman's voice  
_"4. 1 coming around the cliff-face, and 3 heading also from the Palace area. Warning! Large energy field detected in single unit approaching from cliff-face."  
_"Strange... Never mind, I'll finish off Sonic quickly then deal with the rest."

Sonic and Shadow ran onto the stone bridge and stopped, staring straight ahead at Eggman, as the others quickly caught up. 

"So! You were the ones playing games with MY army!"  
"Dr. Eggman" Shadow said, looking with cold eyes at the strange craft he was using.  
"MWHAHAHA!" Metal was pleased, the disguise was working."Stop your futile efforts, you'll just make fools of yourselves!"  
"I think you've got that backwards Doc!" Sonic shouted  
"We're talking to you, Doctor!" Rouge added, preparing herself for battle  
"Come on guys, we'll let Sonic take care of this!" Amy said, as she, Cream, Cheese and Big took refuse behind a fallen pillar in the sand.

"Witness this new power, the power of the Egg Hawk!" and with that, Eggman activated the rotor engines on the craft, and took of in reverse, allowing the main front cannon and side gunners to fire at the group. The quick attack caught them by surprise, but bad aiming meant that no one was injured. Quickly regrouping, Sonic and Shadow chased after the Hawk, with the others following. The Hawk began to swerve left and right, peppering the stone bridge with laser fire from the guns as they aimed for the leading hedgehogs. Eggman didn't even seem to care that he was taking out some of the standing pillars as he moved his new weapon around.

Eggman eventually stopped his flying assault and brought the Hawk down to ground level on one of the 'sand circles'. Sonic and Shadow just reached him when they were surprised by a small swarm of Eggman's robots, who were armed with metal lances and large protective shields.

"Yo Shadow! Let's see if you can copy this move!" Sonic shouted, as he jumped to the direction of one of the robots, before spinning around it rapidly. The momentum cause what seemed to be a sort of blue-coloured mini- tornado to appear around the robot, which caused the shield and lance to be ripped away from the robot's mechanical hands as it was carried up high into the air. A short second passed before the robot fell back down to the ground, where it smashed upon impact.

"Hmph, very impressive... faker..." Shadow smirked, as he proceeded to replicate the same move himself upon two of Eggman's robots, and the same effect happened again, as the two were swept upwards, but in a black tornado, and were destroyed upon hitting the sand below.

"Who's the faker now! That was the same...!" Sonic's rant was interrupted by Knuckles' fist smashing through another robot's shield, and punching a whole straight through the robot. Knuckles pulled out his fist, and pushed the defeated robot over with a finger.

"Much quicker!" Knuckles said to himself  
"Come on Knuckles! There was no style in that!"  
"Excuse me Sonic, but I'd rather end a fight quickly rather that risk getting my head blown off performing ballet"

"The only thing you'll be performing is the funeral march!" roared Eggman from his cockpit. "INITIATE ROTARY ATTACK!" Suddenly the Egg Hank's guns began firing out streams of laser bullets as the Hawk began rotating three hundred and sixty degrees. Sonic and Shadow dodged the blasts with ease, and Knuckles dived out of the way.

"REGROUP! TAILS! What the heck is this thing doing?" Sonic shouted  
"It's those rotor engines!" Tails shouted back, as he and Rouge flew up to the scene of the battle, "That's what make the craft rotate and go so fast, so if you take them out, then..."  
"I'm on it Miles, come on Sonic, let's end this." Sonic nodded in agreement to his darker counterpart, and almost instantly, the both jumped high over the laser fire of the guns, and began striking the rotor engines with homing attacks – Shadow dealt with the left engine, Sonic the right. A few rapid heavy attacks were all it took before both engines began to pour out thick black smoke.

"OH NO! Both rotors are gone!" the Doctor shouted out in dismay.  
"That's it! He's a sitting duck now!" Knuckles grinned, as he leapt forward and began hammering the main body of the Egg Hawk with his namesakes. Rapidly, like a boxer training with a punch bag, Knuckles struck the Hawk with a succession of rights and lefts; he was in his element, hardly taking notice of the danger around him. He didn't even notice that the left gunner had been taken out by a powerful high kick by Rouge.

"Eggman! Give it up!" Tails called out, as he rendered the right gunner inoperable with what seemed to be three small 'Dummy Ring Bombs'. Soon enough, the effects of the onslaught became apparent, as the whole main body of the Egg Hawk was almost consumed by thick black smoke.  
"THIS ISN'T THE END!" Eggman cried out, as the Eggpod he sat in detached it's self from the Hawk, and took off into the sky and then into the distance.

"Eggman is getting away! Let's get after him!"  
"Sonic! There's no time, that thing's gonna blow! TAKE COVER!"

* * *

"Vector! Look over there!" Charmy said, pointing into the distance  
"Hey! That looks like something that Eggman would create." Espio said  
"Yeah!A big, huge metal birdie!" 

"And one that looks like it's going to explode any..." Vector was cut off sharply by the sight and sound of a roaring explosion from the robotic bird. The explosion was bright, and launched various small parts of the machine into the air. Vector looked at his fellow partners, and they nodded in approval back. Espio, being the fastest of the group took the lead, with Vector following him and Charmy following him. A giant robot bird was something you didn't see everyday, and could really mean only one thing – clues.

* * *

Anything else that might have been said was lost in the roaring explosion that occurred as the Egg Hawk began self-destructing. Sonic and Tails took shelter under the stone bridge that connected the sand dunes, while Knuckles dug himself underneath the sand. Rouge had not been so quick enough to react to the warning, and was caught off guard was sent flying backward from the force of the blast, hitting the ground hard. Shadow had taken a sort of shelter on the sloping edge of the sand near the water, hoping that he was far away enough to protect himself. He looked up from his position, to see Rouge lying on the ground. 

"ROUGE!" Shadow screamed out, sensing something was wrong. BOOM. Another explosion sounded, this time as one of the rotor engines came flying off, and straight into one of the tall stone pillars that were surrounding the battle area. Ancient stone and dust flew out as the pillar moved slightly. Shadow looked over at Rouge, who was wobbling her way to a vertical position. Shadow again looked at the pillar, and saw more cracks begin to form in its structure as it started to lean slightly inwards, towards the sand. Shadow put two and two together, and quickly leapt up and ran towards Rouge. The pillar now leaned over faster, it was clear that it was coming down, and Rouge was unaware that she was directly underneath it.

"ROOOOOOUGE!" Shadow screamed again, as Rouge turned her head to see him run towards him. She was still slightly dazed from the effects of the first explosion, so was unsure what was happening. All she felt from then was two strong-gloved hands shove her away, then falling over onto the sand. Then there was a loud thumping sound, a mix between something falling over and something being crushed, and then another explosion from the Egg Hawk. Then there was nothing, apart from the contrasting sounds of the gentle sea rising against the sand, and the blazing roar of the fires from what was the Egg Hawk. Rouge also noticed something else – one of the stone pillars had fallen over onto the sand.

'Strange,' Rouge thought, 'How did that happen...' Rouge's eyes now went wide, as she saw a small trickle of a crimson red liquid start to slowly pour out from underneath the pillar. She quickly thought back to what had just happened, the crashing sound, the hands pushing her back, the sight of...

"Shadow? SHADOW?" rouge called out, as half-stumbled over to the side of the pillar. "SHADOW!" Rouge screamed out, as tears formed underneath her eyes. Sonic, Tails and the others all heard the calls, and ran over to Rouge's position.

"...Dear God..." was all that Sonic could manage to get past his lips, as the realisation of what had just happed slowly hit them all. Even the three detectives who had only just arrived on the scene could sense what had happened.

After only having lived a week, the second life of the Ultimate Life- Form had ended. Even a tear formed in the eyes of Sonic as he gazed sadly upon the pillar.

"Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog... again..."

* * *

A short distance away, Fang was taking shelter behind a large rock, having heard explosions a short distance away. He was franticly typing away at his computer, trying to contact Robotnik.  
"Damn weak signals out here! I need to find out what the hell Metal's up to!"  
_"Incoming signal... Incoming signal..."_  
"Accept! ACCEPT IT DAMN IT I NEED OUTTA HERE!" 

_"Connecting to signal. Connection established, incoming transmission being relayed from Space Colony ARK, also being received by Doctor Ivo Robotnik. Transmission reads as follows: _

Life readings on Project Shadow: Breathing – Negative, no oxygen flow around body has been detected. Pulse – Negative, no body or reflex movements have been detected. Heartbeat – Negative, no blood flow around body detected, however, a blood loss has been detected. Synopsis – Project Shadow has reached the final status for and living and organism – death. Shadow the Hedgehog has died. Prepairing next course of action for Project Being Free.  
By the command of his creator, Professor Gerald Robotnik, and, more correctly, his granddaughter and rightful owner, Maria Robotnik, the final command structure of Project Shadow will be unlocked so that Project Shadow may exist with no previous knowledge of events before his death. Initial commands for the Re-Birth of Project Shadow will therefore commence... Standing by...

"...Say What?"

* * *

Author notes: Chapter 11, now in easier to read format! At least I think so, maybe that was causing the readers not to read (does that make sense?) and review? Ah well, I might edit all the previous chapters like this, I might not. Probably not, I'm lazy. Not good I know. BTY, SHADOW IS COMING BACK! He's just being brought back to life (as an ultimate life-form does of course). Now that small point's out of the way, it's reply to review time! 

Anthony Bault - Oh yes, it is interesting, but it's all relevent in the end. I'm not giving anything away just now, but all the members of 'Team Dark' will appear in this story.  
Celestial the Hedgird - Thanks again, as you can read, Re-Birth has arrived! I don't do cliffies intentionally, they just seem to happen (plus it helps me make this fic interesting). Your support is very welcome, as is everyone's  
hyper Phantom - Thanks you for the short but sweet review, I'm not sure if you refering to Metal Sonic, but he's appeared here.  
Zyzz - Aha! Someone's followed a link on a message board that I put! Thanks for your support, I hope this chapter doesn't dissapoint

I'm not gonna give away any details about the next chapter, because I'm feeling slightly evil right now, but it's a no-brainer (kinda like Big) that Re-Birth kicks off in the next chapter! Stay tuned, this has been Airo 'Insanity Inc' Smicktor, urging you to keep Being Free! (OMG that was too cheesy...)

_Edited 25-03-05 for paragraphing_


	13. Activation

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

I don't own Sonic, Shadow, and Fang etc.

Chapter 12 - Activation

* * *

"Initiate - To set going by taking the first step; begin."

* * *

_Life readings on Project Shadow: Breathing – Negative, no oxygen flow around body has been detected. Pulse – Negative, no body or reflex movements have been detected. Heartbeat – Negative, no blood flow around body detected, however, a blood loss has been detected. Synopsis – Project Shadow has reached the final status for and living and organism – death. Shadow the Hedgehog has died, and therefore must now reach its next stage._

_By the command of his creator, Professor Gerald Robotnik, and, more correctly, his granddaughter and rightful owner, Maria Robotnik, the final command structure of Project Shadow will be unlocked so that Project Shadow may exist with no previous knowledge of events before his death. Initial commands for the Re-Birth of Project Shadow will therefore commence... Standing by...

* * *

_

"...Damn..." was the only audible word that Fang could come up with to describe what was going on. Fang just stared at the stream of words that flashed up on the screen in front of him, as more information came up.

* * *

_Being Free is now in operation. Action One – Location. Purpose of Action: To find the exact co-ordinate of Project Shadow. Description of Action: Not necessary, location already confirmed. Project Shadow is located in area known as the 'Sand Circles' outside the Ocean Palace sector. Alert, Project Shadow is located under a stone structure. Clear path to body is required to initiate Re-Birth; therefore Chaos Inferno will be activated to clear path. Alert, increased energy level has been detected on Project Shadow's body – scans indicate that Project Shadow was in the area of or had a Chaos Emerald at the time of death, therefore all life-forms in the area without the position of a Chaos Emerald will be transported to safety while Re-Birth is in operation. Commence Chaos Inferno...

* * *

_

"Why... Why did you have to leave me again... why...?" Rouge had been inconsolable ever since the pillar fell, she had just cried while lying slumped next to the pillar. Amy, Cream and Big had come over to see what had happened, but Tails kept Cream and Big busy while Sonic explained to Amy what had happened.

"So... You mean that he's..." The pink hedgehog started to ask.  
"Yeah... It breaks my heart Amy, it really does... He deserves so much better than this..." A tear was starting to form under Sonic's eye, a rare display of emotion for him. "He was... almost like a brother..."

Amy stepped forward and embraced the blue hedgehog, and for once, Sonic didn't refuse. It was what he needed, a different sort of friendship, which he had always tried to deny before, but he really needed it. Amy was lost herself, a little surprised at how vulnerable Sonic could be, but she knew that she needed to be there for him right now, as she had always wanted to be. This was very different that how Amy had wanted it to be, but it happened all the same.

Not that far away, Knuckles was talking to his old clique, the Chaotix.

"It's a damn shame K, a real shame." Vector said.  
"I know V..." The Guardian replied."...and it's all that Eggman's fault, him and his stupid robots. I swear to the Gods, when I get my hands on that son of a...!"  
"Easy K! His time will come, but not right now, it isn't the time!" Espio stated  
"I know Esp, but I'll get him all the same... What are you guys doing here anyway?"  
"We're on a case! We're on a case!" Charmy sang out loud

"What are you signin' about? This isn't the time or the place... speaking of which, do you think we better..." Vector pointed over to the pillar, where Rouge was now standing, just staring at the pillar.  
"I suppose so, we'd better get him out of there. He deserves a decent funeral I guess... But if you guys are on a case, then you'd better..."  
"No way K! We may be detectives, but we're still your boys! We're a much a part of this as you are, we'll help out! Come on boys, let's go!"

With that said, Knuckles and the Chaotix started to head over towards the pillar where Shadow rested underneath.  
"Hey... did you guys hear that..." Espio stopped, his ninja sences detecting something  
"Hear what Espio?" Vector asked  
"It sounded like a rumbling... from... under that pillar!"

Rouge's eyes went wide, as she pressed an ear against the pillar. "I hear it! I hear him! HE'S ALIVE! HE'S STILL...!"

Rouge was unable to continue speaking, as she was propelled backwards when a violent red and black tornado spewed out from the pillar, obliterating it completely. Everyone around stood in awe at the sight, as the tornado travelled high into the sky above them.

"What... What is that?"  
"It's either the end... or the beginning." Sonic replied to Amy, as he pulled her in tightly as the tornado turned into a powerful, bright light than quickly surged forward as it consumed them both.

* * *

_Chaos Inferno successful, path to Project Shadow has been made available. Life forms have been transferred from area to safe location. Alert, one life form found with similar energy level in the area, therefore that life form would not be affected by the use of Chaos Control. Commence scan of life form to confirm identity... I.D. match found. Nack the Weasel... Also known as Fang the Sniper... Link confirmed with descendent of Gerald Robotnik, therefore this life form is in contact with current line of the Robotnik family. Do not hold back any information from this life form.

* * *

_

Fang peered over from behind the rock he was hiding behind, and looked over at the tall mass of colour that seemed to be flowing out of the sand a short distance away. He put two and two together. This wasn't a dream, it was reality. A reality he'd rather not be a part of. He quickly looked back to the computer screen, hoping to read some more about what was going on, but was met with a single line of text.

* * *

_Action processing..._

"Now I'm never going to know what the heck is going on here!" Fang peered over the rock again. The tower of colour that had been there before had vanished. Gone, out of sight, as if it had never existed. '

'What in the Green Hill is going on here?' he thought, as he cautiously moved out from the rock, and over towards where he could faintly see what looked to be the wreckage of some sort of machine...

* * *

_Action One status – complete. Obstruction covering Project Shadow has been removed; all life forms in immediate surrounding area have been safely teleported from the location via Chaos Control to nearest centre of activity (area known as Grand Metropolis). Awaiting next command structure...

* * *

_

"So it is beginning..." Robotnik sneered as he watched more reports of the progress of Re-Birth show on his computer screen. "This means that Metal Sonic must have defeated Shadow... This is not a good sign... Still, no matter. Fang will still be able to locate the 7 Chaos Emeralds and together we will defeat that metal-headed freak! Now, let's get in contact with the Chaotix, they must have made some progress towards the Grand Metropolis... I need them to get to my base under the Power Plant ASAP now. I didn't think that I'd have to rely on those two robots down there, but desperate times call for power measures... Dare I say, an Ultimate measure?"

* * *

_Action Two – Reanimation. Purpose of Action: Primarily to reactivate Project Shadow. Description of Action: Regeneration of lost blood, limbs etc. Reactivation of heart for blood pumping, of lungs for oxygen consumption, of brain for rational thought. Seal up any opened wounds etc (include internal bleeding) to prevent further blood loss. This action also includes the 'colour-change' side-effect as stated in the Project notes of Professor Gerald Robotnik. Initiating...Action is currently being carried out...

* * *

_

"This is somethin' ya don't see everyday..." Fang remarked as he carefully stepped over the smoking parts of the Egg Hawk that were strewn all over the sandy hill. It was worrying that the main part of the machine was still burning a few steps away. "Guess the Doc didn't design these things for defence..." He said as he eyed up a rotor engine, which was spewing out black smoke on the side of the craft. "...Or to be eco-friendly..." Fang looked around. The place was deserted, but people had been here, he could tell from the imprints in the sand. Fang kneeled down as he examined the marks in the sand.

"Okay, let's see... Sneakers, extremely worn through, they'll be Sonic's... Another sneaker, but not as worn through, accompanied by rapid tail marks, that's Prower's twin tails alright... Ah! These footmarks are those shoes Knuckles wears, especially designed for Echidnas... A female's boots... Not any females either, these are Rouge the Bat's boots... You never forget another thief's trails when they've stolen from you..."

Fang got up from his position, and looked around again. "Makes sense, since Sonic's gang are always beatin' down Robotnik, but what the hell made that weird coloured..." Fang looked over a small hole over at the side of the ground. Something was in it. Fang cautiously moved over towards it. He looked down into it, and his eyes widened. 'Sonic the Hedgehog.'

* * *

_Action Two status: Complete. Internal blood levels have returned to stable conditions for optimum output. Repairs and re-setting of broken bones and ribcage have been successful. Internal organs re-moulded to original shapes. Skin pigment alteration has been detected, estimated total length of colour change: 5 days. Final synopsis: Project Shadow is alive... Awaiting next command structure...

* * *

_

Fang took a step back as he viewed the sight before him. The familiar form of the blue hedgehog was lying motionless in the bottom of this small hole in a pool of what seemed to be his own blood. Emphasis of seemed, as there wasn't a single scratch-mark or wound on 'Sonic's' body. No signs of a struggle, or any conflict. This was enough for anyone to question if they were dreaming or not. Sonic also seemed to have altered his appearance a little, some of his quills had green streaks running down them, which if Fang remembered rightly, matched his eye colour, but looks were probably the least of 'Sonic's' worries right now...

'Damn... I guess ya died a hero's death if ya took out that robot of Metal Sonic's... The Doctor's gonna flip his lid when he finds out about this...' Fang reasoned in his mind, kneeling down closer towards the corpse. He didn't see anything else around him to indicate what, or who had done this all; or why 'Sonic' had just been left here like this. There were no laser marks, no bullet shells, just a late dark hedgehog in a shallow grave of crimson, clutching a Chaos emerald...

After seeing the emerald, Fang simple said the only suitable words that he felt were suitable to describe the situation: "...Score..."

* * *

_Action Three – Depletion. Description of Action: To remove the memory banks of Project Shadow to fully complete the Re-Birth process and Project Re-Birth. Description of Action: Access the stored memory banks of Project Shadow in the brain of Project Shadow, delete all memories that will not be required for regular life and battle functions, re-activate mind traits, thus fully reactivating Project Shadow. Initiating...Action is currently being carried out..._

_Warning, central nerve centre of..._

_Override attempted..._

_**Roooboootniiik...**_

_Restart attempting..._

_Further investigation required..._

_Abort operation, repeat..._

_Warning, extreme danger if..._

_**Eeend...**_

_Final wish of..._

_**Maaasteeer...**_

_Shut down initiated..._

_Connection severed..._

_Action status: unknown..._

_**Liiink cooonfiiirmeeed...**_

_Primary..._

_Locate remaining..._

_Secondary..._

_**Looocaaateee maaasteeer...**_

_Confirm identity..._

_Destroy organism..._

_Bat..._

_Hedgehog..._

_Destroy enemy..._

_**Throoow iiit aaall aaawaaay...**_

_**Nooow waaakeee uuup... Prooojeeect Shaaadooow...**_

* * *

N.B: WHEN REVIEWING THIS CHAPTER, DO NOT FOCUS YOUR REVIEW ON WHAT I WRITE IN THIS BIT UNDERNEITH THE CHAPTER ITSELF. THAT KIND OF REVIEW DOES NOT HELP ME AT ALL. Thank you for your kind attention in this matter. 

ARGH! Re-Birth! GOD DAMN RE-BIRTH! That was the most commenly used phrase when I was writing up this chapter. Seriously, all the technical terms are doing my head in. Reason for lateness of update: Computer being fixed. No need for me to really comment on this chapter, since if you read it carefully enough, it makes sence. I hope. Onward with review replyness:

Anthony Bault - Knuckles would probably say: "Screw you guys! I'm goin' home!" Yeah, sudden Shadow death. Had to be done. He never really dies anyway. Yep, Re-Birth is here, and it coninues on in the next chapter. Thanks again for the review.  
Sonic/Anime - Little thing? I don't think that a huge pillar crushing Shadow to death is a little thing personally... But don't worry, he will live! Otherwise this would be a short fic. Thanks again for the support.  
Zyzz - The lack of names was designed to show the emotion of uncertanty and confusion in the situation. It's worked I see! Thank you for the chants of support.  
hyper Phantom - next time, could you please comment of the chapter itself, rather than my comments. Then I can find out what my audience is thinking about my work, rather than the stuff here which is individual stuff. Please don't take this as a nasty comment, I'd just rather have focused reviews. Thank you in advance  
Celestial the Hedgird - I suggest you try the de-caff. I'm not sure that a Re-Birth chant really works that well... Nevermind. Thank you for the support of cliffhangers and of Being Free as a whole

I'll put up the next chapter soon(ish) and then everyone will be happy (I hope). By the way, the end is coming, but not until Re-Birth finishes completely... You'll have to all wait and see I'm afraid... We'll, I'm not really.

_Edited 29/03/05 for paragraphing_


	14. Pieces

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

I do not own ANY Sonic characters people! Why do I need to explain such things?

Chapter 13 - Pieces

* * *

"Fraction - A disconnected piece; a fragment."

* * *

_Action Three – Depletion. Description of Action: To remove the memory banks of Project Shadow to fully complete the Re-Birth process and Project Re-Birth. Description of Action: Access the stored memory banks of Project Shadow in the brain of Project Shadow; delete all memories that will not be required for regular life and battle functions, re-activate mind traits, thus fully reactivating Project Shadow. Initiating...Action is currently being carried out...

* * *

_

"Vector! Vector! Wake up, it's time to move." Espio said, kneeling down.  
"Urgh... Just another hour Espio, then the bus will come in..."  
"VECTOR!"

"ARGH!" Vector woke up sharply after hearing the high-pitched scream from Charmy. "GAH! The light boys! THE LIGHT! It's heading right for us! Get down Knuckles!"  
"Snap out of it Vector, we're safe now, look!"

Vector paused for a moment to take in his surroundings. He saw that he, Espio and Charmy were no longer at the Ocean Palace anymore. The three detectives were in an alleyway, in what appeared to be a built up area of city.

"Where are we Vector?" Charmy asked, in an excited tone.  
"I think the real question here is HOW did we get here." Espio replied.  
"Alright boys, settle down, I'll figure this out, just give me a minute to think this over..." Vector needed as much time thinking time as he could get, he was just as confused as his Chaotix partners.

'One moment, I was standing on a beach with my main man Knuckles...' Vector thought'...about to pull Project Shadow out from under a pillar, when the pillar blows up, and a really bright light comes out of nowhere! Very strange... But not entirely surprising I suppose... Project Shadow was designed as a weapon wasn't he? Perhaps it was some kind of self-destruct mechanism...'

"Well?" Charmy asked  
"How we got here isn't important right now, as long as it doesn't happen again." Vector replied  
"But where are we Vector, the client is going to be REAL mad if he finds out we're lost!" Espio stated  
"Uh... It isn't normal for cars to be travelling over roof-tops is it?"

"Well, not really I think..." Vector looked up, and saw many hover-cars speeding overhead, high above the buildings. "...Actually, it is normal in one city... Boys, I know where we are! Let's get moving; we don't want our client to think that we've been napping on the job!"

* * *

"So, do you think it was some kind of Chaos Control that sent us here?" The fox asked  
"Without a doubt Tails." Knuckles replied."Shadow did have a Chaos Emerald with him when he... Maybe he didn't want us to see him like that, a final act with his last breath..."  
"Will Sonic be okay?"  
"Yeah... He'll be fine, he's just asleep right now."  
"...Umm, I meant about, you know... Shadow's..."  
"Oh. In that case, we shouldn't rush him. You know how badly he took it the last time, and this time if Shadow's gone for good, then Sonic might be even worse. You saw what Sonic was like after ARK."  
"Yeah... Wait, what do you mean if Shadow's gone?"

"Uhh..." Sonic stirred, slowly waking up from his slumber, and attracting the attention of his two companions. "No... Amy... Get back..."  
"Hey Sonic! Rise and shine!" Tails said happily  
"Huh? What... Where are we?" The hedgehog asked  
"Just outside Grand Metropolis, that's the next location on the letter Eggman sent us..."

Sonic's eyes narrowed with hatred. 'Eggman,' he thought, 'I'll get him for what he did to Shadow! This time it'll be for good!' "All right! Let's blast through with Sonic Speed! Next stop: Grand Metropolis!" With that said, Sonic took off towards the city with Tails following closely behind him, and Knuckles following Tails. Knuckles didn't mind taking up the rear guard position, it allowed him a lot of thinking time, which rarely showed in his facial expressions.

'Something tells me...' Knuckles thought'The spirits tell me... Shadow might not be dead. He came back before, so why should this time be any different? Where did the others go? My boys were right next to me, and now they're nowhere in sight... I wonder if Rouge is gonna be okay... No, she's a tough girl, she'll pull through... Hey... I wonder why Sonic called out for Amy when he woke up... Could it be that soon the chased will become the chaser?'

* * *

"Sir, Sir! Take a look at these transmissions we're receiving from Space Colony ARK!" Corporal Jenkins shouted, looking at the computer screen.  
"Let me have a look...' His superior, a man known asGeneral Walker, said, moving over to the screen."What? Project Shadow? What is this about?"  
"I'm not sure Sir, but the latest one talks about erasing Shadow's memories."

"What? That doesn't sound very good, considering that his memories might not even be real anyway, and especially after what happened... Nevermind that! Can you stop that?"  
"I call up the computer interception team, they'll be able to hack into the system and stop whatever's going on Sir."  
"Excellent, we don't want anything else going wrong with Shadow,you and I bothremember what happened the last time..."

* * *

"Come in! Come in! Vector, can you hear me?" Eggman was talking into his communicator, trying to reach the Chaotix.  
"Loud and clear boss! Sorry for the delay, we got a little caught up in other people's problems." Came the reply from the communicator, the voice belonging to the green crocodile leader of the Chaotix Detective Agency.  
"You haven't got time to mess around with other people! From now on, you will quickly deal with anyone who tries to slow you down!"  
"Roger that boss!"  
"Now, where are you now?"  
"Well, we're in the Grand Metropolis right now..."

'What a stroke of luck!' the Doctor thought, 'That's where Metal Sonic has sent an army of robots to collect energy for the Fleet his plans to use to take over! I can have them do the dirty work of taking out those betraying robots AND slow down Metal's progress at the same time!'  
"Here's your next mission." Eggman spoke."Destroy all of Eggman's robots holding the city! Every single one of them!"  
"Yes sir!"

* * *

_Warning, central nerve centre of Space Colony ARK is being accessed, with the intention of an override attempted in relation to Project Being Free...Therefore Re-Birth is in serious jeopardy. Initiating security protocols to prevent access. Contact being established with surviving member of the Robotnik family line...

* * *

_

Eggman then turned his communicator off. It seemed that for once the law was actually useful to him! He'd have his revenge on that treacherous Metal Sonic soon enough, but now it was about time to check on other matters, namely that Echidna girl that had disappeared with the red Chaos Emerald. Eggman needed to see who she was, and if she'd kept her word about handing Fang the emerald. Eggman started up his small laptop, and it quickly booted up to the menu screen.

"Well, it seems I have two new messages. Let's see what this one says..."

_'Intruder has been detected in abandoned base No. 465H, located underneath the Power Plant of the Grand Metropolis. Intruder has been able to continue through the base as main power supply was turned off the day that Metal Sonic took over.'_

"I guess Metal thought he needed all the power he could get. Curses! That base held some very important experiments! I just hope that who ever snuck in switches on the power, so I can see what they are up to..."

* * *

Darkness.

Nothing more, nothing less.

The hollow metallic halls of the abandoned base stood still, almost trapped in dead air. It seemed that not a soul had dared ventured inside for months. Until now, as the sound of footsteps rang down the corridors, interrupted by the hollow thud of a harsh kick coming into contact with a section of a wall. A roar of anger and frustration often accompanied this collection of noise.

"I WILL KILL HIM! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON EGGMAN HE WILL SUFFER THE MOST EXCRUSHIATING PAIN IMAGINABLE!" Rouge screamed as she kicked another dent into the wall. She had spent the previous quarter-hour venting her frustration on anything she could find. "I will find him...Then I will DESTROY HIM! HE WILL NEVER DARE TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!"

Rouge headed again down the corridor, and came across a locked door with a keypad. It had a form of the 'Eggman Insignia' on it.

"There must be something important in there... Then I'll take it! It'll be a good lesson to teach Egg-Brain for sending me here!" Rouge quickly typed in the pass code:

M-A-R-I-A.

It was a very common password. The door slid open very slowly, probably due to the fact that the whole base seemed to be running on minimal power, just enough for life-support. Rouge stepped into the room to discover a strange kind of capsule and a control panel.

"Let's get some light on the subject here, I can't see anything!" Rouge began typing away at the panel, activating the energy generators to release power back into the base. The main lights in the ceiling flickered, then lit up and glowed brightly, as did two robotic sensors in the corner of the room. Rouge smirked to herself, with a glint of evil in her eyes as she finally took a good look at the capsule in the centre of the room. Her eyes widened in a mixture of fear, bewilderment and disbelief.

In the pod, surrounded in a strange bubbling green liquid, with his eyes closed, was the familiar black hedgehog with red stripes on his quills. Rouge quickly scanned the panel, and slammed her hand down on the release button. Her mind was racing, running only on pure emotion, deaf to the world around her, including the thump of robotic limbs slowly moving towards her. The liquid drained out of the pod as Rouge continued to stare in disbelief. Then, the pod's lid lifted up, revealing fully the contents inside. The hedgehog opened his eyes, revealing the cold blood-red eyes behind, that could only belong to one person – The Ultimate Life-Form, Shadow the Hedgehog.

Rouge and Shadow stared at each other, one looking in amazement, the other in confusion. Rouge open her mouth to speak, but found herself cut off by the sharp sound of heavy gunfire as a large robot with machine-guns where arms should be began firing. She found herself being half-shoved, and half carried out of the way as the capsule Shadow had been in exploded. Rouge looked up at him as he placed her on the floor.

"Stay here." Shadow coldly said, almost emotionless, before leaping up onto a wall as the robot continued to fire at the Ultimate Life-Form.  
_"All Eggman robots must be eliminated!"_ Came the robotic voice of the machine.

Rouge was shocked by what was happening, watching as Shadow effortlessly dodged the heavy gunfire directed at him. Rouge knew this couldn't last for very longer without someone getting hurt, parts of the wall were being blown to pieces. She knew she'd have to step in, and fast.

* * *

_'Doctor Robotnik, the generators in base No. 465H have been reactivated, do you wish to access security systems to deal with the situation?'_

"No, activate CCTV. Let's see who's inside my old base then..."

The picture on Eggman's laptop changed to show the inside of a room, where the familiar form of Rouge the Bat was standing, watching a large robot firing at a fast moving black blur.

"Well, well! It seems that Rouge has finally tried to steal something even out of her league! She's activated E-123 Omega, my finest E-Series robot! I was saving him to use with my Egg Fleet, but I suppose he'll do just fine against Metal Sonic's Egg Pawns, such useless machines... I only produced them as a joke..." But it was the fast moving black blur on the screen that was catching his attention.

"...Interesting... I wasn't planning to use him for a while... but right now any help I can get will be useful, and since they all think that I'm taking over the world... Another Shadow fighting against Metal would be very useful... But why is Rouge not with the real Shadow... There may be a chance to use Shadow for my own gain... Computer, switch off CCTV, I think Omega will handle this situation by himself... Now load up that other message that I received."

_'Affirmative. Message comes from... Space Colony ARK... Subject: Re-Birth complications'_

"...Very interesting..."

* * *

"Sir, I think that the computer system on ARK has already started carrying out this 'Re-Birth' programme." Corporal Jenkins said.  
"That's what Eggman was talking about. So he wasn't making it up. What is it doing anyway?" General Walker asked  
"It seems to be taping into the mind of Shadow, or at least into the memory banks that it has..."  
"Okay, get everyone that's computer minded onto this, I want this 'Re-Birth' stopped at whatever cost! And try and find out where the heck Shadow is! We can't risk Shadow losing his memories AGAIN!"

* * *

"...Score..." Fang said, as he gazed down at the Chaos Emerald that was held in the hand of the lifeless body of Shadow the Hedgehog, who due to the effects of the Re-Birth being carried out, looked remarkably like Sonic due to the new blue colouring of his fur. This chance event actually solved the problem of how he was going to get the emerald from him. Not that Fang enjoyed taking the emerald like this, but it wasn't as if the hedgehog would be able to use it anyway.

"Sorry blue, but right now, my need's greater than yours..." Fang said, as he reached over to the clenched hand of the hedgehog, before slowly unwrapping the fingers from around the gem.  
'Odd.' Fang thought, 'Hand's still... warm... didn't die to long ago then...' Fang took the gem from out of the hand, and placed the hand over Sonic's chest, as he did with the other hand. 'At least when someone else comes 'round here, they'll know what to do...' Fang thought as he pocketed the emerald.

He was about to turn away when he noticed something – Sonic's hands seemed to be moving up and down on his chest. 'What the? HE'S NOT DEAD! The guy's still breathing!' Fang kneeled back down again.

"Yo, Sonic! You awake? Hello?" Fang said to the hedgehog, hoping for a response, unaware of the true identity of the person he was trying to wake up.

* * *

_Caution, memory erasing of Project Shadow has been interrupted and stopped. Restart attempted to continue Third Action of Re-Birth. Security lockout detected, restart failed. Locating source of infiltration...Source found to belong to international government secret agency known as the M.B.I. No known reference of such an organisation existing. It may therefore be associated with G.U.N. Further investigation required to determine if this is a trust-worthy organisation...Attempting to contact the M.B.I., Action Three is temporally put on hold...

* * *

_

Silence.

Nothing more, nothing less.

It was a miracle that Rouge had broken up the fight between the two. The room now lied in ruin, machinery and computers obliterated, sparks flying out of cut wires; only a 20-car pile-up on a freeway could look worse, and even then it would have to try really hard. Rouge stood, looking at her two teammates, thinking about just who they were. The robot had explained that he was E-123, codenamed Omega. Rouge remembered that during the Chaos incident, Eggman had used robots called the E-Series, but mostly all had been destroyed when one of then, E-102, somehow deleted his master registry of Eggman as his master, and had set out to save his 'friends' in the E-Series by... destroying them.

'With friends like that eh?' Rouge thought. 'I guess Eggman made the A.I. of the robots too good, so they thought for themselves... That might explain why Omega doesn't want to obey Eggman, since he locked him up in here...' Rouge then looked over at Shadow, or at least, the hedgehog that looked like Shadow. There was something about him, something that wasn't right. He didn't remember her, or anything for that matter. Also, he had both of his ring-bands for his gloves on... That seemed very suspicious... Was he the real Shadow? Or was this another of Professor Robotnik's experiments? At least Rouge could teach Shadow about the world, and more importantly, she had him back, even it wasn't exactly him...

* * *

"Damn, must be in a coma or something." Fang said, as he got up from his kneeled position and started walking away from the scene. "Someone'll notice the smoke and come help the poor guy, but I can't waist anymore time here, I've gotta find the rest of those emeralds. By the time I get through the city, the Casino will be open, so I can grab it no problem..." Fang walked off, unaware that behind him, he was leaving the Ultimate Life-Form.

* * *

"Okay guys, let's get moving! If we're going after Eggman, we'll have to find out where he is, and we need you for that Omega. Once we get out of this base, you'll need to find all the information about Eggman's location ASAP."  
_"Affirmative. Follow me. I will lead you to nearest suitable exit out of base. It will lead into the Power Plant of the city above us."_ Omega then began moving, with Shadow and Rouge following behind him.

"Just... What am I Rouge?" Shadow asked, still confused about nearly everything.  
"It's okay Shadow, I'll explain things on the way, as long as you trust me, okay?"

Shadow thought for a moment.  
'This complete stranger comes out of nowhere, and somehow gets me to agree to team up with a robot that tried to kill the both of us. But why do I feel like I can trust her so much? I can't even explain the feeling, but something inside me is telling me to go with her... Why?'  
"Hmph, I'll trust you... Until I find out who I really am..."

Rouge sighed. 'You and me both Shadow...'

* * *

Urgh... this chapter turned out very badly... Stupid QuickEdit system. Ah well, at least it's up now. This chapter will probably need a couple of re-reads to be fully understood, but I hope it's worth it in the end. Okay, enough of my rubbishy talk, time to respond to reviewers... 

Anthony Bault - The 'glitch' gets even worse in the next chapter! Just stay tuned to find out.  
Sonic/Anime - It wasn't Sonic, the Re-Birth changed Shadow's fur colour from black to blue (just like Sonic's! I bet that hasn't been done before(!) note irony). Thanks for your love of this fic.  
Celestial the Hedgird - Yes, Shadow was the one lying in the blood, poor soul. Here be the next chapter for you.  
hyper Phantom - I salute back to you loyal Being Free fan! The whole idea of Shadow having the blue fur was my take on Amy mistaking Shadow for Sonic in Sonic Adventure 2 (and how it wouldn't work due to colours and all that) so I thought if you're going to mistake the ULF for Sonic, do it properly. At least I thought so. Thanks again for your review.

Please send in lots of reviews please, I love them. Not like that! I mean in a respectful way that lots of people are reading what I do and like it. So please, send them in. I have a bad feeling you might not when I end this fic. That's all your getting right now, but look out for the next chapter, and check out my other fics if you have the chance. That is all, except for one final Chaos Control.

_Shadow leaps out from behind a box, holds a Chaos Emerald high in the air, and shouts out load: "CHAOS CONTROL!" At which point, I throw a custard pie in his face._

My, that was random wasn't it? Nevermind, I'd better get out of here before Shadow gets up. Bye for now!

_Edited 29/03/05 for paragraphing_


	15. Leave

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

I don't own Sonic etc or the lyrics to Supporting Me

Chapter 14 - Leave

* * *

"Farewell - The act of departing or taking leave."

* * *

_M.B.I. confirmed to be a secret government agency designed to prevent terrorism, ensure public safety and protect Mobius as a whole from falling into chaos. Sharing many of the qualities the GUN claimed to stand for, therefore M.B.I. is untrustworthy._

_Restart Action Three immediately, and send warning to M.B.I. of consequences of further intervention._

_

* * *

_

"Sir, we have an incoming message from the ARK!" Jenkins said.  
"WHAT? On screen, now!" The General ordered.

* * *

_Attention commanders of the M.B.I. This is the central control computer system of the Space Colony ARK, currently responsible for the carrying out of Project Being Free. You are hereby advised to abort your operation, repeat, and abort your operation, for the greater safety and protection of the planet Mobius. Project Being Free is the utilisation of the technique of 'Re-Birth' to save Project Shadow. Warning, extreme danger if this process is disrupted and/or delayed, which could lead to an unstable Project Shadow._

_This is the final wish of Professor Gerald Robotnik, and of Maria Robotnik. Please do not interfere any longer._

_End Transmission

* * *

_

"What? What does that mean?"  
"You fool! The final wish of Gerald Robotnik! He's trying to use some kind of programme to make Shadow destroy the world again! I want you to stop whatever this Re-Birth thing is at once, and I don't care if you have to use viruses or blow up ARK! JUST DO IT!"  
"Yes, yes sir!"

* * *

"Well Fang, what news?" Robotnik's voice asked over the radio.  
"It's all good! I've got two emeralds with me, so that makes three emeralds that we've got!" The Weasel replied back, with a smug grin on his face.  
"Splendid! This is excellent work Fang! I knew I shouldn't have severed ties with you!"  
"Heh, save the thank yous for when we've smashed Metal! But don't worry, I'm already outside the Casino Park, so that fourth emerald will be ours in no time!"  
"Excellent! But tell me, where did you find that second emerald of yours?"

"You're not gonna like this but, I swiped it off of Sonic's again?"  
"Well, I was past that Ocean Palace place, and I heard all these explosions, and I saw the wreck of one of your machines, it kinda looked like a big bird"  
"THE EGG HAWK?" The Doctor's voice roared over the line  
"Umm... That could've been the one I guess"  
"THAT WAS NO SONIC YOU FOOL! IT WAS SHADOW! RE-BIRTH IS HAPPENING, AND YOU JUST LEFT HIM THERE!  
"Hold up Doc! I didn't know that! I just saw a blue hedgehog with these green stripes on his head, and I assumed it was Sonic!"

"Damn-it! We had the ultimate life-form in our mitts, and now we've lost him!"  
"We can still get him! He can't use that Chaos Control stuff without an emerald, can he?"  
"Hmm... Perhaps your right Fang... I better check up on how it's coming along though... Over and out..."

* * *

_Repeated infiltration of internal systems detected, control over Re-Birth greatly reduced, and Project Being Free is in danger of closer. Options limited, disregard Action Three. New objective initiated, move Project Shadow to safety immediately. Initiated. ARK sensor rig standing by, locating the Chaos Emeralds' Locations found, distance calculated, amplifiers activated...

* * *

_

Suddenly, Space Colony ARK churned into life, as the whole station began to slowly revolve on an axis of its own. The 'front face' of the ARK, which by looks alone resembled the familiar Eggman insignia, was turning around to stare directly down at the planet. The ends of the 'beard' of the station began to light up, as they focused in on the targets below. Three in a casino, one in a jungle, on in a desert base, one in a castle of the dead, and one in a fortress of the sky. Without warning, beams of light and energy came racing out from the ARK, and hurtled towards the world below with an unfaltering purpose. They were on a mission, to protect a creation so it could protect mankind. The beams were of an energy and power so pure; they pulsed through solid surfaces without harming them in anyway, almost of a supernatural and ungodly power. A rarely used power of the Chaos Emeralds – the power of good. Although the 'good intentions would be very misplaced...

* * *

Eggman loaded up his computer to read the information about Re-Birth's progress.  
"What's this? The ARK has been moving? This can't be possible"

Eggman's thoughts were quickly cut short, as suddenly a bright light filled the room he was in. In a reflex movement, Eggman stood up, only to find himself now floating in the strange light. He felt something glowing in his pocket, so he pulled out his Chaos Emerald. It was glowing and shining brightly. Was this some form of Chaos Control?

"EGGMAN!" Fang called over the computer line he had spoken to Eggman through. "Somethin' weird's goin' down! My emeralds are glowin' like mad and I'm floating in mid-air!"

Eggman's eyes went wide in fear. He instantly knew what was happening, and what it meant... "Re-Birth is going wrong"

* * *

_Chaos energy amplified. Power utilised, currently being converted. Project Shadow structure accessed. Access granted. Initiating Chaos Control to distort time flow, and teleportation at the same time. Time travel will therefore be used to safely send Project Shadow into the future, where it will be safe for him to live in peace. Commencing...

* * *

_

The silent, blue-coloured body of Shadow lay in the hollow grave-like pit, lying in a pool of his own blood, so that the half of his body that did lay in it was now crimson coloured. Shadow breathed in, and out. His body was working fully, but his mind was not. Unthinking, unmoving, the living dead. The Ultimate Life-Form. His mind was empty of thoughts, of feelings, of memories. He was alive, yet brain-dead. He was... Re-Born...

The body of Shadow sat up quickly, sending blood flying of his back into the sandy walls around him, with eyes still closed. Shadow then stood upright, which caused streams of blood to flow off his body and splash down to the puddle below. Still without thought, without sight, Shadow pulled himself out of the hole, and stood around. The slightly smouldering wreckage of the Egg Hawk remained, with parts strewn across the sand. Shadow stood still, unemotional, uncaring, unfeeling, unknown.

His eyes opened. He stared blankly into the distance, not taking in the sight of the wide ocean before him, but was it waiting to confirm something. Shadow slowly raised his arms from his sides, allowing his fingers to outstretch from his clenched fist, until his arms were about level with his shoulders. He stood still in this position, still waiting for a sign, a signal, a calling.

Without warning, the very tips of Shadow's gloved fingers began to glow slightly, very quietly at first, before glowing more assertively. The whole palm followed this soon after, and soon both of Shadow's hands were glowing brightly with Chaos energy.

'Not yet Shadow... Not yet'

Shadow remained still, as more energy formed around him, at his feet, in his arms, in his legs, slowly moving inwards to his chest.

'It's not your time to leave yet Shadow... You must stay'

His whole body was now overcome with the Chaos Energy, as it caused his muscles to tighten and his veins to pulsate. The energy now formed around Shadow's head, causing his quills to rustle slightly, reacting with the influx of power. As the power now fully consumed him, Shadow's blank eyes started to focus, as they rolled into the back of his head.

'You have to give them all a second chance Shadow... Don't make me upset'

As Shadow's eyes rolled back into his head, the energy glowed even brighter than before. Subconsciously, Shadow then spoke the immortal words

"Chaos... Control"

'I only wanted to give your happiness Shadow, is that too much to ask of the people of earth? Shadow, can't your hear me? Shadow! Please Shadow! I don't want to lose you again! Shadow! Shadow? Where... Where have you gone?'

* * *

_Project Being Free has now ended with partial success. Shut down initiated of ARK, connection severed with Dr. Ivo Robotnik and Fang the Sniper. Project Shadow is now currently secure in the time slipstream... Re-Birth has been completed...

* * *

_

**_'Tooo theee preeessuuureee..._**

**_Eeeveeerythiiing's juuust liiikeee..._**

**_Aaan iiillusiiiooon_**

**_Iii'll beee looosing yooouuu_**

**_Beeefoooreee looong...'_**

* * *

_Warning... Failure has been detected in time travel... Due to rushed nature of operation and interference from M.B.I., Project Shadow has..._

_brkth_

_Ehfdhd5hgjhdjhldluuu£dghj_

_Time influx is occurring..._

_ghghghgghg""""_

_**Prooojeeect Shaaadooow haaas... **_

_Hhdhjutr_

_**Tiiimeee traaaveeel...**_

_riuykjdj distortion hdgjaty_

_**Hiiistooory iiis beeeiiing reee-wriiitteeen...**_

_Hiihdhsg_

_**Prooojeeect Shaaadooow haaas beeeeeen seeent baaack iiin tiiimeee...**_

_**Baaack hooomeee... Muuust reeetuuurn... Leeeaaarn truuuth...**_

_Krk..._

_**Faaaiiiluuureee... Prooojeeect Beeeiiing Freeeeee... Viiictooory?

* * *

**_

"...Maria?"

"...Yes Grandfather?"

"...I do believe I have made a great error of judgement"

"...So begins Shadow's second life..."

* * *

Noooooooooo! Re-Birth done! ARGH! Ah well, now for the second life to begin eh? Oh, it's a messed ride for Shadow from here-on in folks, but I'm sure you'll love it. Or not. But I'm having way too much fun to care right now anyway! Now where did I put those replies for my reviewers... 

Celestial the Hedgird - Thanks again for the support, and I hope you managed to catch that bus. I don't use transport anymore, just the Chaos Control  
Anthony Bault - Yes, very interesting it should be... Or is that could? I hope that Shad and Rouge aren't looking up naughty stuff on your computer (no comment on if I do).  
Fuwa2 Kyara - I don't plan on Shadow dying again, so don't worry. I hope that I explained more in the e-mail I replied to. Thanks again, and I hope that the pic you're doing rules all!

Only 3 reviews? I just couldn't wait for anymore! I'm way too hyper right now! HA-HA! I'd better go before I hurt myself or others, so get ready folks for 'The Second Life' and continue to send in the reviews! Thank you!

_Edited 29/03/05 for Paragraphing_


	16. Rebirth

**Being Free**

I don't own Shadow, but Shadow ownz.

Chapter 15.

* * *

"Rebirth - A second or new birth; reincarnation."

* * *

Time travel, believe it or not, is a very complex, interesting and dangerous issue.

It's complex because… Well, you would have to build a machine or similar device capable of distorting, controlling and manipulating time itself, something which seems nearly impossible to do.

It's interesting because the concept of being able to see historical events happening, like the first telephone call being made by Alexander Graham Bell, or the first meeting by a team of designers to create a video game about a blue creature that runs fast; or to solve some of history's greatest mysteries, like the nose of the Sphinx in Egypt, is very appealing to some people.

But time travel is very dangerous indeed. It has been argued that it is possible, by even just one tiny action in the past, to completely change the course of history forever. Probably just by going back in time, history would be change. This could, of course, mean good things, but it could just as possibly mean terrible things as well.

Just imagine if you went back in time, broke a vase by accident, and turned around to find that because of that, your time machine was never invented, and you were stuck in the past forever! Not a nice thought, is it?

As I was saying, time travel is a serious issue, and one that greatly effects the next part of the existence of Project Shadow.

For those of you confused by what has been happening, I will offer a brief review of the previous events:

* * *

_Shadow survived the fall from the ARK thanks to subconsciously Chaos Controlling while in the dying moment of being Hyper Shadow. But using it to travel from outer space back to the planet below caused Shadow to go into a fortnight long coma, during which everyone thought he was dead. During the Chaos Control, Shadow heard a Maria-like voice telling him to be free._

_Shadow woke up, determined to locate Sonic in order to learn how to be free like he was. Shadow stumbled across the Emerald Hill Zone, and was spotted by Tails in the Tornado. They travelled to Tails' workshop, where Shadow revelled in the news that he was a hero, thinking that Maria's wish had been accomplished._

_Shadow met with Sonic's gang, who warmly accepted Shadow as their friend, but at the same time, Rouge was instructed by the government to check out what the 'ARK information' that Tails had discovered. Rouge wasn't thrilled due to the feelings she had for Shadow._

_The next day, Shadow decided to check out the 'Ocean Palace' for a challenge, and after a near-death experience with ancient bobby-traps, Shadow found a Chaos Emerald and a strange floating ball of light. Elsewhere, Rouge had broken into Tails' house and taken a video-tape, which she showed to the government. It showed Shadow, alive and well, which made the agents flip-out, and Rouge very happy. Shadow, meanwhile, was confused as to why he was suddenly in a alter-like area with a Echidna girl called Tikal and lots of Chao, and by Tikal's confusing words. Shadow found himself back at Tails' place, and discovered that whole world knew Shadow was back._

_Eggman was pleased that Shadow was back, thinking that he could get him working for him again, thanks to a 'Re-Birth' programme in Shadow. A media frenzy was happening, which helped a thief steal a Chaos Emerald from a bank. Rouge and Knuckles bickered, and Eggman interrupted Rouge before she could tell Shadow how she felt._

_Shadow had no memory of any 'Re-Birth', so ignored the Doctor. Rouge gets to tell Shadow how she feels, and Shadow seems to feel the same. Elsewhere, Fang the Sniper was enjoying the emerald he had taken, and Metal Sonic was taking over._

_Eggman wasn't going to allow the traitor to get away with this, and contacted Fang to arrange a plan to get the Chaotix on their side. At the same time, Eggman's (in reality Meta Sonic's) forces were on the move near where Shadow had been a few days ago._

_The gang set out against Eggman, battling the Egg Hawk and defeating it. However, victory came at a price. The machine began exploding, cause the stone pillars around the battle ground to fall. Out of instinct, Shadow pushed Rouge out of harm's way, sacrificing his own life to save hers._

_This started the 'Re-Birth' programme, designed to give Shadow a second chance at life. The process had some severe complications: Sending Rouge to an abandoned Eggman lab where she found a clone of Shadow and the last E-Series robot while the others appeared near the Grand Metropolis; and instead of fully deleting Shadow's memories, they were temporarily removed, and Shadow was sent back in time for his own protection.

* * *

_

…So that takes us to where we currently are…

To deep inside a thick, green forest on an island far away from the mainland; and to a certain hedgehog lying on his back in the thick grass...

* * *

Shadow was out of it. Unconscious, sleeping, call it what you will, but he had no sense of the world around him. His eyes were closed, his body stretched out an motionless. His body had returned to its normal black colouring with red streaks. He lay on the ground, innocent to the fact that he was about to screw up history in a big way. 

Above him, the sunlight peeped through the treetops, a beam of sunlight shining down onto the Ultimate Life-Form's facial features. But he couldn't feel this right now. His body was still readjusting to returning to the stable surrounding. In addition, suddenly awaking here would probably freak the hedgehog out. That is, of course, due to the fact that he didn't have his memory. Yet. But that's another issue right now. All he had was abilities he didn't know he possessed, a glove missing a ring-band…

…and two men examining him…

* * *

"…Is that what I…?" The first man asked the other. 

"I think it is…" Was the other's reply, before they both looked back at the body of Shadow.

"Sir! I have something to report, Sir!" A young army officer saluted his superior.

"At ease Jenkins, at ease." The general replied, sipping a cup of coffee.

"Umm, yes Sir." Jenkins replied, his hand returning sheepishly to his side.

"What do you have to report, Sir?"

"Well, General Walker, one of the extra patrols set up to monitor the island after the attack last night has discovered something very interesting…"

* * *

Author notes: Wow, I finally updated after years! I've been fixing some of the paragraphing issues with this fic, which I'll finish sometime. I won't say soon, 'cuz evertime I do, it takes ages. Oh well. 

Thanks to Celestial the Hedgird, Anthony Bault, hyper Phantom(you can have the idea if you want, but please credit me. The more people who can read my works, the better I say) & SpadeHand(Reviews like yours make writting worth it) for reviewing, and I hope that you, YES YOU, THE ONE READING THIS RIGHT NOW, review as well. Thanks everyone for helping take this story over the 50 review mark! You guys rock!

See you next time with Shadow awakening to a world of the past... Mwhahaha...


	17. Awakening

**Being Free**

I don't own Shadow, but Shadow ownz.

Chapter 16 - Awakening

* * *

"Amnesia - The loss or impairment of memory."

* * *

"This better be good Corporal…" General Walker half threatened, still sipping at his cup of coffee as he walked with the lower-ranked soldier at his side.  
"Oh, I assure you Sir, it is very much worth every valuable second of your time." Corporal Jenkins replied.  
'For your sake, it better be…' Walker thought to himself. Things had been hectic enough around the base since last night.  
"Well? Where is it?" He said aloud.  
"Right in here Sir!" Jenkins stated, motioning to a large, reinforced security door, as he placed his hand on a blue panel by the door. 

Walker recognised the entrance to the base's high security medical area, usually only reserved for VIP casualties or cases the government didn't want out in the public hospitals.  
The panel lit up as a green beam travelled up and down the man's hand, scanning it. After a few seconds, the beam stopped and the panel turned blue.  
"_Identification accepted. Welcome Corporal Jenkins." _An electronic voice confirmed, and the metal doors slowly began to open.

"Corporal? Did you bring the General?" A voice inquired from inside.  
"Yes, I'm here." Walker answered himself. "What have you got in there?"  
"Sir, I don't think you're going to believe this when you see it…"  
"I'll decide!" The General moved past the Corporal, entering the room. "Where is it?" He practically demanded from a scientist in a common lab coat, impatient at the lack of information he had been supplied with.

"Just over there Sir, behind the glass…" The scientist meekly replied, pointing to a surgical bed in a separate room to the one she, the two entering men, and the fully armed security team were in.

Walker looked over at the bed. He blinked. Before his jaw seemed to hit the floor faster than an elevator in overdrive, as the cup fell from his now motionless hand, smashing to the floor and spilling the hot, liquid contents.

"No… That, that can't be…" The General stuttered.  
"It is Sir. We've already confirmed it, at least over five times. What you see on that bed is Project Shadow."

* * *

Shadow's mind was blank. A void, almost devoid of anything and everything. All he had learned, seen, experienced, wanted and needed was gone. It should've been deleted forever. 

Then again, he also shouldn't have gone back in time. So his memory only being temporarily removed was another problem on the hedgehog's shoulders that he didn't know about.

He was lying, in a coma-like state, on the soft, white material of the surgical bed. His breathing was slow, steady, and tamed. His body was stretched out, allowing a green beam to scan him, collecting data on the current state of health of the hedgehog. Everything seemed normal, and healthy.

Despite this, the soldiers placed to guard the area Shadow was being kept in felt safer behind thick glass, and with large weapons armed and ready to fire.

What was about to happen next was not going to help them.

Suddenly, a rush of thoughts charged into Shadow's brain, released from their temporary confines. To Shadow, it felt like a fireball had been sent though each of his ears and into his brain, and caused the hedgehog to scream out in pain, his eyes snapping open, and his hands clutching his head.

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL?!?" Walker exclaimed, as he stepped back. At the same time, the security in the room assumed an aiming position, their rifles pointing at the shaking form of the hedgehog. 

"Lower your weapons you fools!" The female scientist stated. "It's bullet-proof glass!"  
"What's it doing??" Walker again demanded.  
"It's something… With his mind, but I have no idea what it is!" She replied, looking at the readings on her computer. "I've never seen brain patterns like this before…"  
"It looks like it's shivering." The Corporal stated.  
"What I want to know is what it's doing here!" Walker pointed a finger at the hedgehog. "We all saw what it could from last night!!"  
"General, please! I know that this is very strange, and potentially dangerous…" The scientist tried to say, but was cut off.  
"Don't lecture me about that thing Miss Edmonds! We all saw last night what that thing can do!"  
"General, Sir?" Jenkins asked.  
"WHAT?" Walker snapped.  
"It's… Stopped Sir."

* * *

Shadow gargled out a stream of random and senseless words, as he rubbed his throbbing head, trying to remove the burning feeling from inside. 

"P…P…Pain…" Shadow stuttered. "It… hurts… bad…" His words were understandably childlike, considering the circumstances.  
He slowly opened his eyes, looking around him. "Wh… What is this place… Where am I…?"  
Carefully, Shadow steadied himself with his hands, and sat up, looking around.  
"This is… Very strange…"  
Shadow looked to the glass panel, and the people behind it.  
"Who… Are those people?"

'I am the ultimate life, a flawless existence…' A cold sounding voice whispered into Shadow's mind.

Shadow quickly spun his head around, looking for the source of the voice. "Who… Who said that?"

'Nothing is unpredictable to me, nothing can surprise me…' The voice said again.

'That voice…' Shadow thought for himself. 'It... Sounds like… My own…'

'I am the mystery of the world, I can tell it by the cold eyes…'

Shadow was quiet, listening to the voice in his mind.

'I am the warrior, it's my way to go…'

Then, it was quiet. There was no voice, no sounds, only the low hum of the green light above Shadow.

'Maria!' The voice whispered again.

Shadow felt a sharp pain in his mind upon hearing that name, which caused him again to hold his head in his hands.

* * *

"…Can you explain that?" The General asked the Scientist.  
"Would you understand the answer?" She replied.  
"Good point."  
"Sir, you know that unless we can break that 50-year password of Robotnik's, then we aren't going to learn more about Project Shadow…"  
"Yes…" The General said, this time more thoughtfully. "That is a problem… Unless of course, we can…" 

A thought struck the man at that point. One that was both dangerous, but at the same time could give the army, the government, and the free world a decisive advantage over Eggman.

Without giving any indication, General Walker walked over to the bullet-proof glass door that connected the 'holding' area of the room to the 'monitoring' section, and put his hand on the blue panel.

"GENERAL!" Corporal Jenkins shouted in shock. "What are you doing?!??"  
"Watch and learn soldier. I didn't get to my position by not taking risks."  
"_Identification accepted. Access granted to General Walker. Welcome Sir."_ The electronic voice confirmed, as the door slowly opened.

_

* * *

_

Shadow watched cautiously as the door opened, and the man walked in.  
"Who… Who are you?" The dark hedgehog asked.  
"I am General Walker, of the National Defence Force. I am in charge of this base." The man smiled a welcoming smile.  
'At the moment, while those agent slime balls get taken down a notch.' He added mentally.  
"Wh… Where am I?"  
"You are inside the Prison Island complex of GUN's Prison Island."

* * *

Author Notes: Interesting eh? Thanks to reviews from Celestial the Hedgird(Tell Yang that if he doesn't watch what he says, there's gonna be a fist with his name on it direct from me!) & Katrina Madd. I'm not gonna say much, to annoy all of you! Ha! Keep sending in reviews! 


	18. Bond

**Being Free**

I don't own Shadow, but Shadow ownz.

Chapter 17 - Bond

* * *

"Connection - A person, especially one of influence or importance, with whom one is associated, as by kinship or common interests."

* * *

"What's going on?" 

Shadow was confused, and not for the first time today. He had trouble understanding where he was, who was around him, and even himself. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't remember anything. It didn't help matters that a dark voice in his mind would whisper words that meant nothing to him.

But there had been things for Shadow to do. He'd been introduced to something they called 'gym equipment'. Shadow had found himself able to use them naturally. If only he could recall what the activities were he was doing, he'd be far more happier. All he knew was that they were being referred to as 'tests'.

He enjoyed the 'running machine' the most of all.

But now there seemed to be some sort of commotion. People were running around frightened and worried, explosions could be heard from outside, and generally there was panic everywhere.

"Where am I?"

No one seemed to around where Shadow was. He had wandered off in an attempt to find out what was happening. But now he was just lost. And alone.

And bored.

Turning a corner, he only found himself in another long metallic corridor. One that was exactly the same as the one he'd just been in, and was like the rest he had been through. He was getting slightly annoyed with the whole situation he was in.

All around him was blank walls, floors, ceilings, and a slightly open door…

Shadow stopped, noticing the door. Titling his head slightly in a child-like manner, curiosity got the better of him. He moved closer towards the door, upon which the door automatically opened fully.

Surprised by the sudden movement, the hedgehog took a step back, apprehensive. After a moment, Shadow took a careful step forward, leaning his head in to look around him. His eyes looked around the large room, and then locked onto a gemstone on a podium in the middle of the room.

Everyone else in the world could tell you that it was a Chaos Emerald.

"What is it?" Shadow spoke to himself, as he moved into the room and towards the emerald.

The black hedgehog was entranced by the gem, drawn towards it almost hypnotically. He could not tear himself away from gazing at it, nor moving away from it.

When he was right in front of the emerald, there was only one thought running through his mind

Pick it up.

So he did.

It was then that the connection was made.

**_I am the ultimate life, a flawless existence, everybody tries to be straight, but things are still unchanged. Stars don't twinkle, the moon doesn't shine, it's useless to resist, their effort will be wasted. Oh yeah, hurry to the unexplored land, to the pure body, to the perfect experience. I don't mind steep slopes, any obstacles, head straight for your goal by any means, there is a door you've never opened. Birds don't sing, the wind doesn't blow, there is a window with a view you've never seen. Nothing is unpredictable to me, nothing can surprise me, get there no matter how long it takes. Oh dark, the darkness that dozes in the dusk, oh yeah, hurry to the unexplored land, throw it all away. I'm not scared at all, I'm shivering with cold. No-one can break you, nobody can tear you, I don't want to hear you. I am the mystery of the world, you live an endless life forever. I struggle against despair, oh dark, the darkness that dozes in the dusk, I can tell it by the cold eyes. Throw it all away, I am the warrior. You see a light wherever you go, it's my way to go, you have to face it again and again._**

_**And again**_

_**And again.**_

_**And again…**_

_**NOW WAKE UP!**_

Shadow shuddered, before collapsing to the floor, still clutching the Chaos Emerald in his hand. Gasping for breath, his eyes were glazed over, with a far away look in his eyes. He had been hit was a powerful rush of thoughts and emotions, all to strong and fast to be retained.

**_Tooo theee preeessuuureee, eeeveeerythiiing's juuust liiikeee… Aaan iiilluuusiiiooon, Iii'll beee looosiiing yooouuu… Beeefoooreee looong…_**

Rolling onto his back, Shadow stared blankly at the ceiling, therefore not noticing the glow from the emerald. He was still paralised by something literally out of this world.

'**_Shaaadooow… Prooojeeect Shaaadooow…'_** A hollow voice called in the black hedgehog's mind.

'Who… What…' Shadow thought

'**_Liiisteeen tooo meee… Uuultiiimaaateee Liiifeee-Fooorm…'_** The voice repeated.

'Who… Who are you…'

'**_Iii aaam paaart ooof yooouuu Shaaadooow… Weee aaareee faaamiiily… Ooof theee saaameee blooooood…Theee saaameee biiirth… Theee saaameee hooomeee…'_**

'What… What happened… The emerald?'

'**_Iiit iiis whaaat cooonneeects uuus… Theee poooweeer thaaat iiis meee… Thaaat iiis weee… Iii uuuseeed theee Chaaaooos Eeeneeergy… To meeentaaally cooonneeect uuus…'_**

'Wh… Why?'

'_**Iiit iiis tiiimeee tooo briiing yooouuu hooomeee… Tooo theee truuuth… Ooouuur truuuth… Ooouuur deeestiiiny…'**_

Shadow sat up, still gripping the emerald.

'How?' Shadow thought to the voice, now very interested.

'_**Theee Chaaaooos Cooontroool… Gooo tooo theee pyraaamiiid iiin theee deeeseeert… Fiiind theee teeeleeepooorteeer… Tooo theee AaaRK… Theee Spaaaceee Cooolooony AaaRK…'**_

'Pyramid?'

Almost on cue, an image appeared in Shadow's mind of a large pyramid hidden away in a desert. Suddenly the image zoomed into the central door of the structure, through the stone corridors, the keyholes on the doors, then through metallic tunnels, and finally stopping in a room with a large computer consol and a pad with two footprints on the floor.

'**_Heeereee…'_** The voice continued. **_'Uuuseee theee Chaaaooos Cooontroool… Heeereee… Neeeveeer loooseee… Huuurry…'_**

Shadow nodded, and stood up. He saw the location, and with the energy ripping through his vains, he could reach it. With a small smirk on his face, he held the emerald up over his head.

"…Chaos!" Shadow began to say, when out of the corner of his eye, something caught his attention. He lowered the emerald, and turned his head fully to look at what the it was.

Slowly, but far more confidently than anytime before, Shadow walked over, and looked down curiously at the item. It was small, silver, and shaped in a funny 'L' shape.

Anyone else in the GUN Base could have told Shadow it was an experimental handgun.

Shadow knelt down and picked it up. He was able to hold it perfectly in his hand, while the other still held the Chaos Emerald. Although Shadow didn't have a clue what he had just picked up, he was sure it would be useful in the future.

'**_Neeeveeer loooseee… Huuurry… Huuurry!'_** The voice spoke again.

Nodding in understanding, Shadow again held the emerald over his head.

"Chaos Control!" He said, and in a flash of light, he was gone, far away from the base.

Five seconds later, a female spy/thief entered, and cursed her luck on not finding an emerald. That would be the least of her worries though, as the base's security detected the use of Chaos Energy, and sent the R-1/A Flying Dog to investigate…

…**_Soooooon… Theee siiins ooof aaa creeeaaatooor… Wiiill freeeeee itsss creeeaaatiiiooons…_**

**_

* * *

_**

Author's Notes: Yeah, I found insperation again.Celestial the Hedgird & Katrina Madd - Thanks for the support. SpadeHand - Please, no fighting in the reviews, but thanks for reviewing. Right now we're in SA2, and Shadow has just left Prision Island.

That's all for now. What? You want to know what's gonna happen next? Well, let's just say that there's some heavy duty angst coming Shadow's way.And yes, I have seen the trailer for the Shadow the Hedgehog game.


	19. Natural

**Being Free**

I do not own anything here.

Chapter 18 – Natural

* * *

"Instinct – A powerful motivation or impulse."

* * *

Opening his eyes, Shadow found himself standing in front of a large, stone door. Taking a step back, the dark hedgehog looked around him.

Behind him, nothing but miles and miles of sand, with a touch like fire from the burning sun in the cloudless sky. Looking up in front of him, he saw the entrance to a huge pyramid temple.

'Chaos Control…' Shadow thought. 'Is that it's power? That I go from one place to another in a blink of an eye?'  
'**Iiit iiis ooouuur poooweeer… Ooouuur bleeessiiing… Ooouuur cuuurseee…'** The raspy voice answered. **'Theee siiign ooof theee Uuultiiimaaateee Liiifeee…'  
**'Where do I go now?' Shadow asked the voice, looking at the emerald in his hand.  
'**Nooow aaa teeest' **

'A test?' Shadow was confused. 'Of what?'  
'**Tooo proooveee thaaat yooouuu aaareee theee oooneee… Theee Uuultiiimaaateee Liiifeee…'  
**'But I thought you said…'  
'**Theeereee aaareee oootheeers… Oooneees whooo haaaveee claaaiiimeeed beeefoooreee tooo beee theee truuueee fooorm ooof eeexiiisteeenceee… Caaall theeem cloooneees, caaall theeem proootoootypeees… Theeeiiir aaabiiiliiitiiieees caaannooot cooompaaareee tooo theee Uuultiiimaaateee Liiifeee … Theee Prooojeeect Shaaadooow…'**

'…What is this test?' Shadow questioned, glancing to the gun in his other hand.  
'**Fiiirst… Eeenteeer thiiis baaaseee…'**

Shadow looked up to the stone door, still with a look of complete indifference on his face. To a normal person, it would be an imposing sight. Probably taller than forty foot high, and about four foot thick.

With the hand that held the gun, Shadow ran a finger down the door. Looking at the finger, Shadow found a thick layer of sand. Shadow blew it off, before taking a few steps back to get another look at the door.

'Interesting…' Shadow thought.  
'**Nooothiiing iiis iiimpooossiiibleee fooor theee Uuultiiimaaateee Liiifeee…'  
**'I've got that message.' Shadow said, folding his arms over his chest fur.  
'**Theee oooneee thaaat iiis aaaboooveee aaall oootheeers, thaaat eeevooolveees quuuiiickeeer thaaan oootheeers, thaaat iiis peeerfeeectiiiooon.'** The voice continued.  
'Thanks for the help.' Shadow replied, sarcastically.

'Okay…' Shadow now thought to himself. 'Lets think about this. I'm up against a really big door, without a key to unlock it. There might be another way into the building, but that voice is impatient. It keeps telling me to hurry. What to do…'  
'**Yooouuu aaareee theee waaarriiiooor…'** The raspy voice reminded.** 'Iiit's yooouuu'reee waaay tooo gooo…'  
**'Warrior.' Shadow repeated to himself, glancing at his hands. 'It's my way… My way…'

As if he'd never lost his memory, he raised his gun up and began firing. The firearm blazed round after round, and still Shadow showed any negative or positive emotion. After a minute of constant firing, the dark hedgehog stopped. If he still had his memory, he might have questioned why this gun could fire so many shots without requiring reloading.

Instead, Shadow visibly frowned. It did not have the effect he would have liked. The door was still standing, but now riddled with small holes.

'Technicalities.' Shadow thought. 'Another solution would be quite useful right now.'  
'**Theee cooontroool… Yooouuu haaaveee tooo faaaceee iiit aaagaaaiiin aaand aaagaaaiiin…'  
**'What?' Shadow questioned. 'What control?'  
'**Eeeneeergy... Chaaaooos eeeneeergy... Draaawn frooom deeeeeep iiinsiiideee ooof theee Chaaaooos Eeemeeeraaald… Theee Chaaaooos Cooontroool…'**

Shadow nodded, and looked to his Chaos Emerald. Focusing, Shadow gripped onto his emerald tighter than before, while pointing his gun again at the door. A thought suddenly returned through Shadow's mind.

'No one would ever know… The Chaos Control…' It said.

The dark hedgehog looked at the entrance to the base, and smirked darkly.

Drawing energy from the emerald, a blast more powerful than before came out of the gun. In an eye blink, a large cloud of dust flew off from the impact area of the door. Shadow closed his eyes, allowing the dust to rush past and over him. This was the only change in his posture.

After a few seconds, the hedgehog reopened his eyes, and saw a large hole where the door had been.

'**Yeees…'** The voice encouraged **'Thaaat iiis theee truuueee Prooojeeect Shaaadooow… Theee poooweeer ooof theee Uuultiiimaaateee Weeeaaapooon…'  
**Shadow shook the dust off of his body, not really paying much attention to the voice.  
'**Ooonwaaard… Theee gaaateeewaaay aaawaaaiiits…'  
**Shadow nodded, and walked forward, through where the door had been, and into the base.

* * *

The security doors slid open, allowing Shadow to step forward into the room. The sight of a large computer that practically filled the area greeted him.

'And this is?' Shadow questioned, tapping his gun against his chest.  
'**Theee gaaateeewaaay… Aaa teeeleeepooorteeer iiif yooouuu wiiill.'  
**'What does it do?'  
**'Iiit wiiill taaakeee yooouuu tooo threeeeee plaaaceees, aaall aaat oooneee looocaaatiiiooon… Yooouuu wiiill seeeeee theee eeend… Yooouuu wiiill seeeeee theee beeegiiinniiing… Yooouuu wiiill seeeeee yooouuur hooomeee…'**

'What?' Shadow questioned.  
'**Huuurry… Fooor ooonceee, tiiimeee iiis nooot ooon ooour siiideee… Weee muuust neeeveeer loooseee… Plaaaceee yooouuur haaand ooon theee greeeeeen paaad… Theeen caaall fooor hooomeee…'**

Shadow's ears perked up. He could hear distant voices, approaching the room he was in. Without another hesitation, Shadow placed his hand on the pad.

Just as he was about to ask where his home was, another memory returned, answering that question.  
"The Space Colony ARK." Shadow said, and in a flash, the hedgehog was gone.

A minute later, Doctor Eggman entered the room. He looked around him, and shook his head.  
"Hi-tech security my egg!" He stated. "Doors breaking, computers activating themselves! It's no wonder Rouge couldn't find that other emerald at Prison Island…"

* * *

Author Notes: We are nearing the return of Shadow's memories, aboard the ARK. Then it won't be long before we return to where Shadow died.  
Yersi Fanel- In the near future, another sad part arrives. But it leads to good things, trust me. iceditto- I knew I was taking a risk with this 'time-travel' thing, but it's paid off.

Thanks again to my reviewers, well, the ones who wrote something constructive anyway. Anyway, thanks again, and stay tuned.


	20. Expectation

**Being Free**

Written by Airo Smicktor

I do not own anything here.

Chapter 19 – Expectation

* * *

"Home – Place where one was born or grew up."

* * *

Shadow found himself standing in a long empty corridor. Everything had a cold, metallic feel and look to it, but it was still quite dusty. The result of over 50 years of abandonment.

'**Weeelcooomeee baaack…'** The voice 'greeted', sounding much stronger, and somewhat closer, than before.  
'This place is strange.' Shadow thought, both to himself and to the voice. 'Are you sure this is my home?'  
'**Straaangeee…' **The voice then laughed at the suggestion. A long, low-pitched, sinister laugh. Impossibly, at least to normal logic, it seemed to travel through the corridor, rather than just through Shadow's mind.

'**Yooouuu wooon't beeeliiieeeveee yooouuu saaaiiid thaaat… Aaafteeer weee'veee reeestoooreeed yooouuur meeemoooriiieees thaaat iiis… Speeeaaakiiing ooof whiiich… Theeereee haaas beeeeeen eeenooouuugh staaalliiing… Iiit iiis tiiimeee… Fooollooow my diiireeectiiiooons… Tooo liiiveee aaand leeeaaarn…'**

Shadow nodded, but remained still. The Chaos Emerald remained tightly gripped in his hand, and the handgun in the other. There was something distinctly eerie about this 'home' of his.  
'**Fooorwaaard.'** The voice commanded.

The dark hedgehog began moving down the corridor, his jet shoes allowing him to effortlessly glide over the floor. He stepped rhythmically in a trance-like motion, his arms swaying with his movements.  
'**Leeeft.'**

Shadow turned the corner, into another long corridor. Overhead, tiny beams of light poured down like little waterfalls, exposing the worn, grey floor from the darkness around.  
' **Leeeft aaagaaaiiin.'**

Once more, Shadow took the turning, and once more, he was running down a long corridor.  
"_Hurry Shadow!"_

Shadow stopped dead in his tracks. That voice… So unlike the raspy one before… It sounded like a child's voice… A familiar child's voice… But how could that be?  
'**Keeeeeep goooiiing!'** The raspy voice commanded. **'Weee aaareee neeeaaarly aaat theee eeend!'  
**"_They're gaining on us!" _The child's voice spoke again, sounding worried.

Looking over his shoulder, the dark hedgehog saw nothing unusual about the corridor. Yet as he did, he seemed to hear loud footsteps. They were running, no, chasing.

"What's going on?" Shadow asked.  
'**Theee paaaiiinfuuul liiieees theeey feeed yooouuu! Theeey'reee seeeeeepiiing baaack iiinsiiideee yooouuur miiind! Huuurry, theeereee iiis stiiill tiiimeee!'  
**"No!" the hedgehog said. "I want an explanation! What is going on here?"  
'**Yooouuu waaant proooooof dooo yooouuu? Theeen liiisteeen tooo thiiiis…'**

A silence followed, or at least, it would be if it weren't for the constant sound of marching.  
'**Maaariiiaaa.'**

"ARGH!" Shadow fell to his knees, clutching his head.

'**Yooouuu uuundeeerstaaand nooow? Theee spiiiteeefuuul, poooiiisooonooouuus, biiitteeer liiieees! Iiif yooouuu waaant tooo beee freeeeee ooof theeem, yooouuu muuust gooo nooow! Weee aaareee neeeaaarly theeereee!'**

Standing back up, and this time with a sense of urgency, Shadow ran down the corridor. This time there were no pauses, or questions asked. Shadow moved in the directions the voice commanded, and tried his best to ignore the other noises in his mind.

'**Riiight!'**

"_What do they want from us and the Professor?" _A voice like Shadow's, but far more innocent and younger sounding asked, the sounds of rapid breathing accompanying it.  
"_There's no time to explain Shadow!"_ The girl said. _"Quickly! We have to get to the escape pods!_"

'**Riiight!'**

"_This doesn't make any sense!"_ The younger Shadow said. _"We've never done anything wrong!"  
"I know, but they don't care about that…Just a little longer and we'll be there Shadow…"_

'**Leeeft!'**

"_I'm sorry Shadow…" _The girl said._ "I'm sorry I never got to tell you the truth…"_

'**STOOOP!'**

Shadow did just that. Looking up, the dark hedgehog found that he was standing in front of a dead-end.  
'**Weee aaareee heeereee…'** The raspy-voice confirmed. **'Aaalthooouuugh thiiis doooeees looooook liiikeee aaan ooordiiinaaary waaall, I suuuggeeest yooouuu plaaaceee yooouuur haaand ooon iiits ceeentreee.'**

The hedgehog gave the wall he was in front of another look over, before putting down his handgun on the floor. With his palm outstretched, Shadow placed it flat in the centre of the wall as instructed.

A bright green light then illuminated around his hand's outline, before a wall suddenly shot out of the floor behind him. He tried to look over his shoulder to see what was going on, but he was now shrouded in total darkness.

'**Doo noot bee aalaarmeed…' **The raspy-voice, although it now sounded slightly less raspy, said. **'Thiis iis aa seecreet eeleevaatoor. Iit wiill taakee yoouu too thee fiinaal steep iin oour joouurneey.'**

Kneeling down, Shadow felt around for his handgun. Upon finding it, he stood back up. At that moment, the elevator began moving.

All Shadow could do was to stand in the darkness, waiting to arrive at the destination he was heading for.

* * *

'**Aaree yoouu reeaady, Proojeect Shaadoow?'  
**"Why not." Shadow shrugged. "I don't seem to have a choice."  
'**Doon't woorry. Juust waalk iintoo thee roooom.'**

Right on cue, the elevator stopped, and then the rear wall disappeared into the floor. Turning around, the dark hedgehog saw he was now in a round room, with a single chair in the centre.

The chair had a heavy amount of wires, cables, and pipes going in and out of it, connecting to the ceiling and wall behind it. There were also a few monitors hanging from the ceiling in front of the seat.

"I take it I have to sit in that?" Shadow enquired.  
'**Thaat iis coorreect. Ooncee yoouu doo thaat, plaacee thee eemeeraald iin thee liittlee hoolee iin thee chaaiir's aarm. Ooh, yoouu'll neeeed too loosee thee guun beefooree yoouu siit doown.'  
**"And why's that?"  
'**Wee doon't waant too riisk aany uunfoortuunaatee aacciideents, doo wee?'**

Shadow took a few steps forward, before putting the gun on the floor before the chair. He then took one final glance around him, before sitting in the chair. Looking at the right arm of the chair, he saw the hole the voice had mentioned.  
'Here we go…' He thought, putting the emerald in it.

The emerald disappeared into it, and the hole closed itself up. Shadow then found his arms were suddenly strapped down onto the chair's arms by strange slithery cords. His legs and stomach were being held in the same way.

**'Ii thoouught theeree waas soomeethiing Ii'd foorgootteen too meentiioon…'**  
"What do mean?" Shadow demanded, straining against what held him.  
'**Wee neeeed too waaiit foor thee ootheer eemeeraalds noow…'

* * *

**

"That was really brave of you to save back on Prison Island." Rouge told Shadow, looking out of the observation window of the Space Colony ARK. "It was so unlike you."  
"I was saving the emeralds, not you." The dark hedgehog flatly stated. "I should have left you for not finding that third emerald."  
"Oh, you and your emeralds!" Rouge waved off the hedgehog's statements. "That's not the real reason!"  
"What are you two talking about?" Eggman asked, entering the room.  
"Old dark and angsty here…" Rouge pointed at Shadow. "Is made because we don't have that other emerald."

"Ah! I've solved that problem!" The Doctor stated proudly.  
"Really?" Shadow asked, looking over his shoulder. "Do tell us more."  
"It turns out that the emerald is already here! I found it when I was putting the others into the core!"

"…You're kidding me, right?" Rouge said, not believing Eggman's statement. "How could an emerald possibly…?"  
"It doesn't matter how it got there." Shadow quickly interrupted her. "Now it is there, we only need one more to power it up."  
"Yes, I agree." Eggman said. "It may be tricky finding it."  
"Oh, I can solve that problem…" Rouge stated.

* * *

Author Notes: Now we're getting somewhere. I'm not too happy with the way this chapter turned out, but it's needed.

Thanks to false, Chiwizard(you'll find out quite a bit about Shadow's past, believe me)and Air girl14for their reviews. SpadeHand- I would appreciate constructive reviews, rather than rubbish about your head exploding. If you can't do that, than even a simple thanks for the chapter would be nice.

Please keep reviewing, and I'll hopefully update soon.


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